Storm!

No. 8 Storm Signal is in force right now! It's not so much the rain which looks more or less like regular rain. It's the crazy wind that slams around objects left outside. It's the rainwater on the road sliding across the pavement like an invisible fire hose washing down the road with blasts of water. It's the strange, displaced thumps in the night that you can't attribute to anything because it's too dark to see. Mostly, it's a bad storm in a foreign place with a storm signal system that makes it sound a helluva lot more exciting than it really is. Still, it's my first tropical storm in Hong Kong!

Weather report from the Hong Kong Observatory.

Tropical Cyclone Bulletin

Here is the latest Tropical Cyclone Bulletin issued by the Hong Kong Observatory.

The No. 8 Northwest Gale or Storm Signal is in force.

This means that winds with mean speeds of 63 kilometres per hour or more are expected from the northwest quarter.

At 1 a.m., Typhoon Molave was centred about 70 kilometres east-northeast of Hong Kong Observatory (near 22.5 degrees north 114.8 degrees east) and is forecast to move west-northwest at about 25 kilometres per hour across Dapeng Peninsula.

Molave is expected to enter Mirs Bay, and will be very close to Hong Kong in the next few hours. Gale force winds will generally affect Hong Kong and there will be heavy rain with squalls. According to the present track, local winds will turn southwesterly before daybreak. Places previously sheltered from the winds will become exposed. Members of the public should take precautions as soon as possible. In the past hour, the maximum sustained winds recorded at Tap Mun and Cheung Chau were 80 and 63 kilometres per hour with maximum gusts 115 and 99 kilometres per hour respectively.

(Precautionary Announcements with No. 8 Signal)

1. Complete all precautions in your home. Lock all windows and doors, fit bars into position and insert reinforced shutters and gates if they are available. Adhesive tape fixed to large window-panes in exposed positions will reduce damage by broken glass. Storm water drains should be cleared of leaves and rubbish.

2. Do not stand near windows on the exposed side of your home. Move all furniture and valuables away from these areas. Make sure you have a safe place to shelter, should windows be broken.

3. Since seas are very rough and the current is strong with changing direction, you are advised to stay away from the shoreline and not to engage in water sports.

4. Flights at Hong Kong International Airport may be affected by the weather. Please contact your airline for the latest flight information before departing for the airport.

5. Please listen to radio or watch TV for the latest weather information broadcast at the 15th, 30th, 45th and 58th minute of each hour. You can also browse the Hong Kong Observatory's web site for the information.