'Very Strong' Typhoon 'Khanun'... Heading to China but Changing Course to Korea?

Kanun Expected to Develop 'Very Strong'... Attention on Its Path

Typhoon Khanun, the 6th typhoon expected to head south of Shanghai, China, may change its course toward South Korea.

According to the Korea Meteorological Administration's forecast path released at 10 a.m. on the 31st, at 9 a.m., Khanun passed 660 km southeast of Okinawa, Japan. It is expected to move northwest and then change direction toward the Korean Peninsula between the west of Okinawa or the southeast sea of Shanghai from the 3rd to the 5th of next month.

Typhoon Khanun's projected path announced by the Korea Meteorological Administration at 10 a.m. on the 31st. Photo by Yonhap News Agency, Korea Meteorological Administration

Previously, Khanun was expected to make landfall south of Shanghai around the 5th of next month. The Korea Meteorological Administration explained, "Northwesterly winds blowing directly against Khanun's direction are slowing its movement speed," adding, "This has caused changes in the typhoon's expected path."

The U.S. Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), as well as the meteorological agencies of Japan, China, and Taiwan, also expect Khanun to change direction in the sea between Shanghai and Okinawa instead of moving northwest toward Shanghai.

However, it is still difficult to definitively say that Khanun will change its course and affect South Korea. Although Korea's typhoon track forecasts are relatively accurate compared to those of the U.S. and others, the average distance error between the 72-hour forecast and the actual path of typhoons last year was 166 km.

Khanun's current intensity is classified as "Strong," but it is expected to develop into "Very Strong." A tropical depression is classified as a typhoon when the maximum wind speed near its center reaches 17 m/s or more. If the maximum wind speed of a typhoon is between 25 m/s and less than 33 m/s, its intensity is classified as "Moderate"; between 33 m/s and less than 44 m/s as "Strong"; between 44 m/s and less than 54 m/s as "Very Strong"; and 54 m/s or more as "Super Strong."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.