Tropical Storm Higos is set to make landfall

Tropical Storm Higos is set to make landfall on 3 October 2008, bringing heavy rains to the country's southern provinces. Meteorologists at Wilkens Weather Technologies stated that the storm is located just south of Hainan Island and is moving north-northwest at approximately 14 mph/12 kt. Government officials in China announced that an "orange" alert has been issued for coastal areas on Hainan Island and in Guangdong province. An "orange" alert is the second highest warning notification issued by the National Meteorological Center (NMC) and indicates that residents and businesses along the coast should prepare for significant wind and rain. Higos had maximum sustained winds of 34 mph/30 kt and gusts of up to 46 mph/40 kt. The storm is forecast to quickly weaken as it makes landfall and moves into mainland China.