The Hong Kong Observatory said it would issue a No 1 warning signal on Wednesday evening as Super Typhoon Saola edged closer to the city.
The track and intensity of the storm was still uncertain due to a northeast monsoon, the weather forecaster said.
The typhoon, which was located 790km (491 miles) east-southeast of Hong Kong at 5am on Wednesday, could make landfall over the Guangdong province or move westwards across its coast, it added.
“Tropical Cyclone Saola will move across the northeastern part of the South China Sea today and tomorrow, edging towards the coast of eastern Guangdong,” the forecaster said.
Typhoon Saola: Hong Kong lashed by heavy rain as storm edges closer
Typhoon Saola: Hong Kong lashed by heavy rain as storm edges closer
Saola, named after a rare horned animal discovered in Vietnam in the 1990s, could edge closer to the Pearl River Delta on Friday and Saturday, bringing wind and squally showers to the city, according to the forecaster.
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Categorised as a super typhoon, it has a sustained wind speed of up to 230km/h near its centre.
Saola is expected to be downgraded to a severe typhoon as it weakens and moves towards Guangdong province on Friday.
Temperatures in Hong Kong will remain stable this week, ranging from 26 to 34 degrees Celsius (78 to 93 degrees Fahrenheit), with a high chance of showers on Friday and thunderstorms over the weekend, according to the forecaster.
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