Why did Wu Wan-hua say 'Baishatun' instead of 'White Dolphin'?

She is known to participate in the Baishatun pilgrimage, so the name slipped out naturally due to familiarity.

Did Typhoon White Dolphin make landfall in Taiwan?

No, it passed through northern waters without making landfall.

How did the public react to the mistake?

Netizens responded with humor and support, calling her a 'national treasure.'

What weather impacts followed?

Southern and central areas saw rain and thunderstorms; southeast faced extreme heat.

Meteorologist Mistakes Typhoon 'White Dolphin' for 'Baishatun' – Senior Broadcaster Apologizes: 'I’m Still Regretting It'

Published Aug 10, 2026 5:59 PM ・ Updated Aug 10, 2026 6:19 PM ・ 5 min read ・ Source: PR Times

Senior meteorologist Wu Wan-hua from Taiwan's Central Weather Administration mistakenly referred to Typhoon 'White Dolphin' as 'Baishatun' during a live broadcast. She later apologized, saying she has been regretting the slip-up ever since.

Typhoon White Dolphin approached the northern waters of Taiwan over the weekend before gradually weakening and moving away. However, Wu Wan-hua, Deputy Director of the Forecast Center at the Central Weather Administration, was caught on air mistakenly calling the typhoon 'Baishatun' instead of 'White Dolphin.' Wu later acknowledged the error, saying, 'Sorry! It was a slip of the tongue! I’ve been regretting it ever since the moment it happened.'

During a live press conference on the morning of the 9th, Wu stated that the threat from Typhoon White Dolphin was gradually subsiding. However, she announced, 'The Central Weather Administration continues to issue a marine typhoon warning for the 13th typhoon in the Northwest Pacific, 'Baishatun'.' This misstatement quickly drew attention online.

Netizens responded with humor and empathy, commenting, 'I remember Wu Wan-hua is also a香燈腳 (pilgrim) who regularly walks the Baishatun pilgrimage—she just said it too naturally,' 'Wan-hua is our national treasure—this tiny slip doesn’t undermine her professionalism,' and 'White Dolphin is about to set off!'

Wu herself responded with an apology: 'Sorry! It was a slip of the tongue! I’ve been regretting it ever since the moment it happened.'

Although Typhoon White Dolphin has moved away, meteorologist Wu Derong warned that from the 10th to the 12th, Taiwan will experience southwest winds, bringing localized showers and thunderstorms to the southwestern windward areas, with potentially heavy rainfall. Other regions will be mostly sunny and hot, with extremely high temperatures in the southeast. Atmospheric instability means afternoon thunderstorms are also possible in northern and central areas.

More exclusive reports from Feng Media: · Egg prices rise again—'3 yuan more per catty'! Wholesale prices hit a nearly two-year high, driven by heatwaves and typhoon disruptions · Chiang Wan-an says 'no land warning for White Dolphin,' so no typhoon day off—Wu Sih-yao accuses him of trying to erase memories of Typhoon Bavi · Will Monday be a typhoon holiday? Fan page claims 'White Dolphin is about to jump'—Chiang Wan-an gives latest response on Taipei city work and school suspension

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Source: PR Times
Category: News

Meteorologist Mistakes Typhoon 'White Dolphin' for 'Baishatun' – Senior Broadcaster Apologizes: 'I’m Still Regretting It'

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