The Hong Kong Observatory on Tuesday morning issued the No. 3 strong wind signal as tropical storm Goni moved nearer.
The No. 3 strong wind signal, issued at 11:35 a.m. local time, means that winds with mean speed of 41 to 62 km are expected in Hong Kong.
The observatory said Goni was estimated to be about 160 km south of Hong Kong at noon and was forecast to move northwest or north-northwest at the speed of 12 km per hour towards the coast of Guangdong province.
According to the present track, the tropical storm will come within 100 km of Hong Kong on Tuesday night. But it is still too early to tell whether it is necessary to issue the higher No. 8 strong wind signal because the track has been uncertain, a senior scientific officer with the observatory said.
(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2009)