Hong Kong’s weather forecaster has warned that winds are likely to strengthen and showers will become more frequent from Sunday under the influence of a tropical cyclone.

The Hong Kong Observatory is set to issue the Strong Wind Signal, No. 3 between midnight and 3 am on Sunday.

With an area of low pressure intensifying into a tropical depression off Luzon in the Philippines, the HKO issued Standby Signal No. 1 at 10:20 pm on Friday.

“In the past few hours, the tropical cyclone moved west-northwest steadily. Its outer rainbands are also edging closer to the coast of Guangdong,” it said in a 4:45 pm bulletin on Saturday, adding that strong winds associated with the cyclone are expected to affect the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary gradually on Sunday.

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At 6 pm on Saturday, the tropical cyclone over the northern part of the South China Sea was estimated to be about 500 km south-southeast of Hong Kong and is forecast to move west or west-northwest at about 14 km per hour, intensifying progressively and edging closer to the western coast of Guangdong.

According to the HKO forecast, the tropical cyclone will intensify progressively and skirt around 200 kilometers to the southwest of Hong Kong on Monday morning.

“However, its circulation will be relatively small.”

Depending on the rate of intensification and its closest distance to Hong Kong, the observatory will assess the need to issue higher tropical cyclone warning signals on Sunday night.

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There will be heavy squally showers on Monday, and it will be windy at first. Seas will be rough with swells, said the observatory.

The forecaster advised people to stay away from the shoreline and not to engage in water sports.

Due to storm surge, flooding may occur over parts of the low-lying coastal areas on Monday morning, it warned.