Higher typhoon signal possible, depending on Saudel’s course after rare resurgence

Hong Kong's weather service may raise the typhoon alert closer to the weekend due to Tropical Cyclone Saudel's unexpected resurgence. The standby No 1 signal remains in effect on Wednesday as Saudel moves across the northeastern South China Sea. Strong offshore and high ground winds are expected to persist throughout the day, with temperatures reaching around 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit).

Saudel is anticipated to linger over the northeastern South China Sea on Wednesday night and Thursday, potentially changing course towards eastern Guangdong and the Pearl River Delta from Friday to Saturday. However, significant uncertainties remain regarding the cyclone's intensity and path. Senior scientific officer Kok Mang-hin stated that Saudel's proximity to land could cause it to weaken more rapidly, while remaining over the sea would slow down the weakening process.

Saudel made landfall in eastern China's Zhejiang province on Friday morning, prompting the Hong Kong Observatory to issue the No 1 signal on Monday evening. The cyclone had previously weakened into a low-pressure area but re-intensified into a tropical depression after moving back over the ocean, fueled by ample moisture and regenerated convection currents.

The re-intensification of Saudel into a tropical depression occurred off the southeastern coast of Hainan Island. This occurrence is uncommon, as seen in Tropical Storm Son-Tinh's case in 2018. Son-Tinh intensified into a tropical storm before regressing into a low-pressure system over northern Vietnam, making a sharp turn to the east and re-intensifying into a tropical depression over China's Beibu Wan.

The low-pressure system associated with Son-Tinh's remnants initially prompted the issuance of a No 1 signal, which was later upgraded to a No 3 signal before all warnings were canceled when it re-intensified.