TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Tropical Storm Bebinca (貝碧佳) is predicted to head to the north of Taiwan over the weekend and come closest to the country between Sunday and Monday (Sept. 15-16).

As of 2 a.m., Tropical Storm Bebinca was located 2,650 km southeast of Eluanbi heading northwest, reported the Central Weather Administration (CWA). Bebinca is expected to pass through Japan's Ryukyu Islands over the weekend before impacting China's Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces next week.

Meteorologist Daniel Wu (吳德榮) said Bebinca, the 13th tropical storm of the year, formed on Tuesday night. Wu forecasted Bebinca would enter the East China Sea on Sunday, with the chances of hitting Taiwan low.

The latest European model also indicates another tropical disturbance could develop east of the Philippines on the night of Sept. 17. 

Meteorologist Lin Te-en (林得恩), head of National Taiwan University's Center for Weather and Climate Disaster Research, said Taiwan could see large waves along Keelung's northern coast, the east, the Hengchun Peninsula, and Lienchiang County due to Bebinca. 

Lin added windward areas in the north, northeast, and east could have intermittent strong gusts and occasional showers. Other areas will remain mostly cloudy with chances of brief afternoon thunderstorms in some regions.