TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Heavy rain alerts were issued for eight northern Taiwan counties Tuesday (Oct. 21) as Severe Tropical Storm Fengshen's outer circulation combined with the northeast monsoon to drench the region. The Central Weather Administration (CWA, 中央氣象署), Taiwan's national weather service, warned of severe conditions affecting Taipei, New Taipei, and Yilan counties.
Meteorologist Lin De-en (林得恩) reported on his Facebook page, "Lin's Weather Station," that Taipei's Shilin and Beitou districts recorded 576mm and 505mm of rainfall in 24 hours. He warned "the pressure gradient will strengthen," producing level 12 gusts in some areas. Officials cautioned against landslides, rockfalls, and flash floods in mountainous regions.
Weather forecasting service "TyTech Taiwan | Weather Express" (台灣颱風論壇｜天氣特急) warned northern areas could receive over 1,000mm of rainfall within three days. Forecasters advised northern residents to prepare for severe weather persisting through the holiday weekend. The severe tropical storm now tracks toward Vietnam while its outer circulation continues affecting Taiwan.
Severe Tropical Storm Fengshen killed eight people and affected over 170,000 residents in the Philippines before reaching Taiwan. The CWA emphasized extreme rainfall risks in Taipei's mountainous areas and significant precipitation in Keelung and Taoyuan regions. Six counties reached rainfall thresholds requiring work and class suspensions, with temperatures between 22 to 25 degrees Celsius (72 to 77°F) across northern areas. ◼