Typhoon White Dolphin Bears Down on China’s East Coast

China has escalated its emergency response as Typhoon White Dolphin, the 13th named storm of the 2026 Pacific typhoon season, barrels toward the country’s eastern seaboard. The Central Meteorological Observatory upgraded its typhoon warning from yellow to orange on the morning of August 8, and the China Meteorological Administration followed by raising the major meteorological disaster emergency response from Level IV to Level III, according to Xinhua News.

As of the morning of August 8, the storm’s center was located approximately 520 kilometers east of Wenzhou in Zhejiang Province, moving west-northwest at 10-15 kilometers per hour. Forecasters expect landfall between Zhoushan, Zhejiang and Fuding, Fujian between the evening of August 9 and the morning of August 10.

A Storm Like No Other

Typhoon White Dolphin is no ordinary typhoon. Born on July 27 when a Central Pacific tropical depression crossed the International Date Line into the Northwest Pacific, the storm has traveled more than 5,000 kilometers to reach China’s coast—making it the most easterly-generated typhoon to make landfall in China since 1951, breaking the record previously held by Typhoon Mangkhut.

At its peak on July 30, the storm reached super typhoon intensity with winds of 65 meters per second (17+ on the Beaufort scale), and underwent five eyewall replacement cycles during its marathon journey. As China Weather Network noted, the typhoon’s diameter exceeded 1,000 kilometers at its maximum, with an area large enough to cover China’s three northeastern provinces.

Meteorological analyst Sun Qianqian of China Weather Network explained that high sea temperatures and abundant moisture sustained the storm during its westward trek, with repeated intensity fluctuations that kept forecasters on edge.

Massive Port Evacuation Underway

The scale of the threat was underscored by the complete evacuation of Shanghai’s Yangshan Port, one of the world’s largest automated container ports. By the evening of August 7, all ships had been safely relocated, with the last trunk container ship, the “COSCO Shipping Peru,” departing its berth, as Xinhua News reported.

The Yangshan Port Maritime Safety Administration activated a Level III flood and typhoon emergency response on August 7, deploying more than 160 enforcement personnel to inspect fishing ports, shelters, and construction waters. Over 500 small and medium vessels were evacuated, with more than 7,000 typhoon warnings and safety alerts issued through VHF broadcasts, WeChat groups, point-to-point calls, and SMS.

Wind speeds at the port have already reached 7-8 levels, with forecasts calling for 11-12 levels and possible gusts up to 13 levels. The maritime authority has implemented 24-hour duty shifts, using vessel traffic management systems and smart maritime platforms to monitor ship movements in real time.

Regional Preparedness Escalates

The storm’s approach has triggered a cascade of emergency measures across multiple provinces. The National Disaster Prevention Headquarters upgraded its emergency response for Zhejiang and Fujian from Level IV to Level III on August 7, while the Ministry of Water Resources activated a Level IV flood defense response for six provinces including Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, and Jiangxi.

The National Marine Forecast Center issued a red wave warning, and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism ordered coastal scenic areas to close in advance across 14 provincial-level regions. Train services on several railway lines were suspended from August 9-13, and major airlines including Air China, China Southern, China Eastern, and Zhejiang Loong Airlines issued special ticket handling policies for affected routes.

Zhejiang Province has been particularly proactive, upgrading its typhoon emergency response to Level II on August 8. The province’s maritime safety administration activated a Level I typhoon response, the highest level in its emergency system.

Expert Warnings on Rainfall Intensity

Central Meteorological Observatory Chief Forecaster Xu Yinglong warned that the storm’s impact could exceed that of Typhoon Bavi, which struck Zhejiang in July 2026. “Compared with Typhoon Bavi, White Dolphin’s local wind speeds may exceed Bavi’s, with stronger and broader rainfall intensity and scope, and extreme single-point precipitation in some areas,” Xu said, as reported by Xinhua News.

The typhoon is expected to bring extreme rainfall to multiple provinces including Zhejiang, Fujian, Shanghai, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, and Hunan, with some areas potentially seeing 400-600 millimeters of cumulative rainfall. Forecasters warn that even areas outside the direct path face significant risks, as mountainous terrain could trigger flash floods and landslides.

Xu noted that the typhoon’s post-landfall trajectory remains uncertain due to complex interactions between the subtropical high, mid-latitude cold air, and multiple typhoon systems in the region. Two possible scenarios exist: one where the storm’s remnants linger over central Jiangnan before affecting Shandong, Henan, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and another where it tracks northwestward, impacting Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong, and Henan.

El Niño’s Role in an Unusual Season

The 2026 typhoon season has been unusually active, with four super typhoons forming by the end of July—an unprecedented pace for so early in the season. Meteorologists attribute this to the ongoing El Niño event, which has caused warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific, shifting typhoon genesis points further east and allowing storms more time and energy to intensify.

As The Paper reported, Typhoon White Dolphin is one of three storms simultaneously active in the region, alongside Typhoons Whale and Chan-hom, creating a complex multi-typhoon environment that complicates forecasting.

What to Watch For

With landfall expected within 24-48 hours, authorities are urging residents in coastal areas to remain vigilant. Shanghai, which sits in the typhoon’s potential “dangerous semicircle,” is bracing for significant wind and rain impacts from August 8-11, with cumulative rainfall potentially exceeding 100 millimeters, according to Sina Finance.

Xu Yinglong advised that the typhoon’s path will become clearer after landfall, and recommended that East China and other potentially affected regions attach great importance to typhoon defense, focusing on preventing strong winds, heavy rain, and secondary disasters.

The coming days will test China’s disaster preparedness systems as one of the most unusual typhoons in recent memory makes its final approach. For residents across the eastern seaboard, the message is clear: prepare for the worst while hoping for the best.