Typhoon Sadel Set to Hit Zhejiang-Fujian Coast
Typhoon Sadel, the 18th named storm of the 2026 Pacific typhoon season, is expected to make landfall on China’s Zhejiang-Fujian coast between early morning and noon on August 28, according to the Central Meteorological Observatory. The storm, which reached super typhoon status at its peak, is projected to come ashore with winds of 33-42 meters per second (12-14 levels) between Sanmen, Zhejiang and Xiapu, Fujian.
Storm Track and Intensity
On the morning of August 27, the typhoon’s center was located approximately 335 kilometers east of Wenling, Zhejiang Province, at 28.6°N, 124.8°E, with maximum wind speeds of 40 meters per second and a minimum central pressure of 960 hPa. The storm is moving west-southwest at 10-15 kilometers per hour with minimal intensity change.
The Central Meteorological Observatory issued a Typhoon Orange Warning on August 27, forecasting winds of 12-14 levels (gusts up to 15-16 levels) near the typhoon’s center. Heavy to very heavy rainfall of 100-150 mm is expected in eastern Zhejiang, northeastern Fujian, and southwestern Taiwan within the next 24 hours.
Emergency Response Escalation
Authorities have been preparing for the storm’s impact for days. The National Flood Control Headquarters upgraded the flood and typhoon emergency response for Zhejiang and Fujian from Level 4 to Level 3 on August 26, while Zhejiang Provincial Flood Control Headquarters raised its typhoon response to Level 2 the same day. Fujian upgraded its typhoon emergency response to Level 3, as reported by Xinhua.
Maritime safety measures have been extensive. Zhejiang Maritime Safety Administration suspended 90 passenger ferry routes along the coast, while 39 offshore construction projects in Ningbo were halted, including work on the Tongsu-Jiayong high-speed railway’s Hangzhou Bay bridge. All coastal scenic areas in Zhejiang have been closed, small and medium fishing vessels have returned to port, and over 4,100 island tourists have been evacuated.
The Yangtze River Delta railway network has activated its typhoon and flood emergency response, planning temporary train suspensions on the Hangzhou-Wenzhou, Hangzhou-Taizhou, Jinhua-Wenzhou, Jinhua-Taizhou, and Yongjin railway lines from August 27-28, and the Hangzhou-Shenzhen railway from August 27-29.
A Record-Breaking Typhoon Season
This would be the third typhoon to make landfall in Zhejiang in 2026, following Typhoon Bavi in July and Typhoon White Dolphin in August, both of which struck near Yuhuan. If Sadel makes landfall in Zhejiang, it would tie the 2004 record for the most typhoons landing in the province in a single year.
The unusually active season is driven by a rapidly developing El Niño event, according to China Economic Net. By August 23, 20 typhoons had formed in the Western Pacific and South China Sea — eight more than the historical average for this time of year. The equatorial central-eastern Pacific entered El Niño status in May 2026, with sea surface temperatures rising rapidly, and is projected to peak around November-December, potentially becoming the strongest El Niño event on record.
Central Meteorological Observatory Chief Forecaster Lü Xinyan explained that under the El Niño climate background, the subtropical high pressure is stronger than usual. “The steering flow at the periphery of the subtropical high is the main driving force for typhoon movement,” she said, noting that this directs more typhoons toward East China, particularly Zhejiang.
The first “four typhoons dancing together” phenomenon of the year occurred in late August, with four typhoons active simultaneously in the South China Sea and Western Pacific within just six days.
Broader Impact and Outlook
From August 27-30, Sadel is expected to successively affect Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Yunnan provinces. Heavy to very heavy rainfall of 100-200 mm (locally 200-300 mm, with isolated areas exceeding 500 mm) is forecast, with rainfall overlapping previous precipitation from Typhoons Zitan and Jianlavi, significantly increasing the risk of secondary disasters such as mountain torrents, geological hazards, urban waterlogging, and farmland flooding.
Fujian Provincial Climate Center Senior Engineer Cao Rong warned that under the rapidly developing El Niño background, 2-3 more typhoons are expected to affect or land in Fujian from September to November 2026, with overall intensity expected to be stronger with more significant wind and rain impacts.
Fujian Provincial Flood Control Headquarters has urged all regions to “closely monitor the typhoon’s movement and wind, rain, and wave impacts, promptly activate or adjust emergency responses, carefully deploy preventive measures, resolutely and decisively organize evacuation and relocation, and do solid defensive work.”
As the storm approaches, residents in coastal areas are advised to stay indoors, secure loose objects, and heed all official warnings and evacuation orders.