HONG KONG – The Hong Kong Observatory issued the Standby Signal, No 1 on Friday afternoon with Tropical Cyclone Yinxing edging closer to the coast of southern China.

Issued at 12:40 pm, the signal No 1 will remain in force at least until Saturday noon, the observatory said in a 1:45 pm bulletin.

“Depending on the distance between Yinxing and the Pearl River Estuary, intensity of Yinxing and the local wind conditions, the observatory will then assess the need for issuance of the Strong Wind Signal, No 3,” reads the bulletin.

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Under the combined effect of Yinxing and the northeast monsoon, winds over the coast of Guangdong may strengthen and on high ground over the weekend, it said.

At 1 pm, Yinxing was estimated to be about 630 kilometers southeast of Hong Kong and is forecast to move west at about 18 km per hour across the northern part of the South China Sea.

As Yinxing’s circulation is relatively small, the strong winds associated with it will not generally affect the territory on Friday and Saturday morning, according to the HKO.

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Warning that there will be swells, the observatory advised people to stay away from the shoreline and not to engage in water sports.

A tropical cyclone warning signal is expected to remain in force at least until Sunday morning, it added.