[Weather] Get Ready for Summer's Wettest Typhoon as City Issues Dolphin Alert

Shanghai is about to get its rainiest typhoon of the summer. Typhoon Dolphin, the season's 13th, is on track to make landfall along the coast of central-to-southern Zhejiang Province late Sunday night into early Monday.

The worst wind and rain will hit Shanghai from Sunday night through Monday night, lasting into Tuesday.

That makes Dolphin a longer, wetter test than Typhoon Bavi, which passed by in July with strong wind but comparatively little rain.

Dolphin was churning in the East China Sea on Saturday afternoon, about 460 kilometers southeast of Wenzhou and 542 kilometers from Shanghai's Pudong coastline.

It is moving west at roughly 10 kilometers an hour and holding steady in strength, forecasters said.

Rain and wind

China's national weather bureau issued an orange typhoon warning Saturday morning, one step below the top level.

Shanghai has a blue typhoon warning in effect citywide, with Pudong, Chongming and Fengxian districts upgraded to yellow.

Citywide rainfall could total 150 to 180 millimeters, with some areas seeing 200 to 230 millimeters and a few spots topping 250 millimeters.

That is well above what Bavi brought in July, when Shanghai saw 80 to 140 millimeters.

Dolphin's rain could also fall faster, at up to 60 to 80 millimeters an hour at its peak, compared with Bavi's 40 to 60 millimeters an hour.

Wind gusts on land could reach level 8 to 9, strong enough to snap tree branches and topple small, shallow-rooted trees. Gusts will be stronger along the coast and near the mouth of the Yangtze River.

Jiang Man, chief forecaster at the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau, said Dolphin stands out for four reasons.

"It has a long life span, strong intensity, a wide wind field and a dense rain band on its northern side," Jiang said.

Forecasters said the storm could stall over the city's western edge after landfall, a pattern that could stretch Shanghai's exposure to four days.

Weakening high pressure means the wind steering the storm will ease once it comes ashore, so Dolphin is expected to move slowly and linger.

Tornado risk

Forecasters are also watching for possible tornadoes. Wind shear tends to increase near the ground after a typhoon moves inland, and forecasters said Monday carries the greatest risk.

The city's weather bureau said it will monitor conditions closely and issue warnings if needed.

The storm will knock down Shanghai's summer heat. Highs will fall to around 30 degrees Celsius on Sunday and into early next week, cloudy and prone to showers or thunderstorms.

Monday's high is forecast at 29 degrees, dropping to a low of 26. Tuesday and Wednesday should see similar conditions, with highs edging up to 30 and 31 degrees. Temperatures are expected to climb back toward more typical August levels by Thursday.

Parks cut hours

Shanghai Disney Resort will operate normally through Saturday. On Sunday, Shanghai Disneyland will close at 8pm, two hours early, and Disneytown will shut at 9pm.

Outdoor parades and shows may be canceled depending on conditions. Visitors holding tickets or hotel bookings for August 9 through 11 can rebook or get a refund through their original booking channel.

Legoland Shanghai Resort will end operations at 6pm Sunday. Other attractions closing early or adjusting hours include Shanghai Happy Valley, the Blue Bay Coastal Resort and Fisherman's Wharf. Several outdoor concerts and festivals planned for this weekend have also been canceled or postponed.

Getting around

All Huangpu River ferry crossings suspended service starting Saturday afternoon. Commuters who normally cross the river by ferry can use the pedestrian and cyclist lanes opened at the Fuxing Road E. and Dalian Road tunnels as an alternative.

Rail operators have suspended some trains on lines connecting Shanghai to neighboring Zhejiang and beyond, including routes through Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Quzhou and points further south in Fujian, Jiangxi and Anhui, with suspensions running from Sunday through as late as Wednesday depending on the route.

Passengers with affected tickets can get a full refund with no fee, either online or at the station, and should check station notices or call the 12306 hotline for the latest updates.

Major airlines, including Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, Juneyao Airlines and Spring Airlines, have waived change and refund fees for flights connecting to Zhejiang airports such as Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou and Yiwu on Sunday and Monday. Travelers should check their flight status before heading to the airport.

Safety tips

Authorities are asking residents to bring in loose items from balconies and streets, avoid swimming or lingering near rivers and the coast, and stay away from billboards, construction fences and large trees. Drivers should slow down and avoid flooded roads.

In Pudong, officials have identified nearly 800 evacuation sites and prepared close to 500 emergency shelters, with plans to move about 103,000 residents from construction sites, aging housing and flood-prone areas if needed.