TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Strong Typhoon Mekkhala (米克拉) was positioned approximately 500 kilometers (310 miles) southeast of Taiwan's southern tip Tuesday (June 23), prompting maritime warnings across multiple sea areas. The island simultaneously confronted an extreme heat wave, with nine counties under orange-level alerts warning of temperatures reaching 37°C (98.6°F).
The Central Weather Administration (中央氣象署) reported the Category 4-equivalent typhoon had maximum sustained winds of 51 meters per second (184 km/h or 114 mph) and was moving northward. The storm's central pressure measured 925 hectopascals, with a storm radius of 180 kilometers (112 miles) for winds at Beaufort scale 7 or higher.
Forecasters said Mekkhala was expected to track along Taiwan's eastern waters without making landfall, passing toward Japan's Ryukyu Islands by Friday. The typhoon's path remains subject to uncertainty based on Pacific High pressure steering, the weather administration said.
Maritime warnings were in effect for vessels in the Bashi Channel, where average wind speeds reached Beaufort scale 9 to 10 with maximum gusts at scale 12. By Wednesday morning, winds in Taiwan's southeastern waters were forecast to intensify to Beaufort scale 7 to 8, with gusts reaching scale 10.
The heat wave posed a more immediate threat for most residents. Orange-level alerts — the second-highest tier in Taiwan's heat warning system — were issued for Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu County, Changhua County, Yunlin County, Tainan, Pingtung County, and Hualien County, warning of consecutive days at or above 36°C (96.8°F).
Tuesday's highest recorded temperature reached 37.5°C (99.5°F) at Quchu (屈尺) in New Taipei City. Temperatures in northern Taiwan and Hualien were forecast to reach 37°C (98.6°F) on Wednesday.
Health officials urged residents to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities, stay hydrated, and guard against heat-related illness. Vulnerable groups — including the elderly, children, people with chronic conditions, and outdoor workers — were advised to stay in cool environments.
Weather conditions were expected to shift significantly by Thursday, when moisture from Typhoon Mekkhala's outer bands would increase rainfall across western and northeastern Taiwan. Meteorologist Wu Der-rong (吳德榮) of the Meteorological Application and Development Foundation (氣象應用推廣基金會) warned that heavy rainfall was possible Friday and Saturday as a frontal system approached.
The weather administration said it would continue monitoring Mekkhala's track and urged the public to follow official updates. Details on potential service disruptions to ferries or fishing operations were not immediately available. ◼
