TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Lu Guo-chen (呂國臣), head of the Central Weather Bureau's (CWB's) Weather Forecast Center on Friday (June 30) said there will be an estimated 18.8 typhoons in the North Pacific this year, with four to five possibly making landfall in Taiwan.

During a CWB press conference, Lu said the La Nina phenomenon has subsided this spring and sea temperatures have gradually increased. Lu said that forecast models show the Pacific will enter the El Nino phase this autumn, bringing 18.8 typhoons to the Northwest Pacific, falling within the "normal to below-normal range."

Lu said that models predict that the probability of typhoons making landfall in Taiwan this year will be close to normal. It is estimated that there will be four to five typhoons that impact Taiwan directly, while the intensity of the typhoons arriving in Taiwan may be relatively stronger.

In terms of summer temperatures and rainfall, Lu said that the temperatures from July to September this year have a high probability of ranging from normal to high. However, Taiwan is expected to experience below-normal levels of rainfall.

In addition, Lu said the average temperature in May was 26.9 C, which is normal. However, in terms of distribution, the western half of the country saw higher temperatures than the eastern half.

Lu said that the average rainfall during this plum rain season was 382.7 millimeters, which falls within the normal to below-normal range.