The Western Pacific remains active, with multiple areas monitored for new tropical development.

The 12th tropical storm of the season has developed in the western Pacific.

Tropical Storm Bailu formed to the east of the Philippines on Wednesday and will continue to move north towards Taiwan.

As it travels north, it will continue to gain strength, moving through the warm ocean waters, producing torrential rains and strong winds.

On Wednesday, Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau (CWB) released a typhoon notice, warning that the storm may reach Taiwan by the weekend, making landfall late through the early weekend.

Before Bailu reaches Taiwan, the seas will become rough and dangerous, affecting much of the east coast of Luzon, bringing heavy, persistent rains at the same time.

As the storm nears Taiwan, the outer bands of Bailu will bring torrential rains late on Friday. If the storm makes a direct landfall, it will hit the island with damaging winds and rains that could cause floods and mudslides.

Bailu is forecast to continue to strengthen into typhoon strength before it makes landfall in the southeast of Taiwan. However, the forecast track shows some discrepancies as to the exact path the storm will take.

If a track just north of Taiwan occurs, locations that were affected by Typhoon Lekima earlier this month could endure another round of flooding and damaging winds.

Areas from eastern Guangdong to southern Zhejiang and Jiangxi are also at risk for impacts from Bailu depending on the exact track of the storm.