Breaking: Will Typhoon Dolphin Bring Closures Tomorrow? 7 Regions Meet Work/School Suspension Criteria – Including New Taipei and Taichung, Full Rain & Wind Schedule Here

Typhoon Dolphin (international designation: DOLPHIN) is gradually approaching the northern waters of Taiwan. The Central Weather Administration released its latest rainfall and wind forecast at 1:00 PM today (8th), stating that tonight through tomorrow (9th) will be the period of most intense impact on Taiwan. According to observational data, by tomorrow afternoon, seven counties and cities across Taiwan have parts of their regions where accumulated rainfall or predicted wind speeds meet the legal thresholds for work and class suspensions. However, the final decision on closures still depends on individual local governments assessing actual conditions and risks before making unified announcements.

Medium-strength Typhoon Dolphin Approaches! Latest Rain and Wind Forecast Released – 7 Counties/Cities Reach 'Suspension' Alert Level

According to forecast data released by the Central Weather Administration, during the rainfall prediction window from 2:00 PM on the 8th to 2:00 PM on the 9th, cumulative rainfall in mountainous areas could reach 200 to 340 millimeters. During the wind forecast period from midnight to 6:00 AM on the 9th, multiple coastal and outlying island areas will face strong gusts of Beaufort scale 9 to 10 or higher. Areas currently meeting suspension criteria are as follows:

Rainfall Criteria Met: Mountainous areas of Taoyuan City, Hsinchu County, Miaoli County, and Taichung City.

Wind Criteria Met: Coastal townships of New Taipei City, the Hengchun Peninsula, Lanyu (Orchid Island), and Green Island.

Rainfall forecast. (Image: Central Weather Administration)

Typhoon Dolphin Moves Slowly – Prepare for Localized Heavy Rain and Level-10 Gusts Starting Tonight

The Central Weather Administration explained that due to the northward retreat of the Pacific high-pressure system, Typhoon Dolphin is currently located within a low-pressure belt. With no clear steering currents, it is moving slowly westward by inertia alone. As it passes through northern waters, cooler sea surface temperatures are expected to slightly reduce the size of the typhoon’s wind field, though it will remain a medium-strength typhoon. It is projected to make landfall in Zhejiang Province, China, next Monday before rapidly weakening into a mild typhoon.

Regarding rainfall, starting from this afternoon, heavy rain zones will gradually expand from northern Taiwan to central plains and parts of southern flatlands. The Administration particularly warns that areas north of Taichung may experience torrential rain, with northern mountainous regions facing downpours exceeding heavy rain levels, while northeastern mountainous areas should also guard against localized heavy rains.

Wind conditions are equally concerning. Currently, Beaufort-scale 9 strong gusts have already been observed along Keelung’s northern coast, Taitung, and the Hengchun coast. From tonight onward, wind intensity will escalate further. Areas including Keelung’s northern coast, southeastern coasts, the Hengchun Peninsula, and Matsu must remain vigilant against the potential threats posed by Beaufort-scale 9 to 10 strong gusts.

How Are Typhoon Holidays Decided? Explaining the Legal Standards for Work and Class Suspensions

Regarding the public’s concerns about typhoon-related closures, according to the 'Regulations on Halting Work and Classes During Natural Disasters,' if weather forecasts indicate that a typhoon’s wind radius may pass within four hours over a region where the 'average wind speed reaches Beaufort 7 or above' or 'gusts reach Beaufort 10 or above'; or if predicted cumulative rainfall over the next 24 hours reaches '200 mm in mountainous areas and 350 mm in flatlands' (some counties/cities apply a uniform standard of 350 mm regardless of terrain), and there is existing or potential disaster risk, then the criteria for suspending work and classes are met. Local governments will base their decisions on these standards and local conditions when announcing whether to suspend operations and classes.