Wipha was a tropical storm in the Gulf of Tonkin Monday afternoon China Standard Time, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center said in its latest advisory. Typhoon season is year-round; however, most typhoons form from early July through mid-December.

A tropical storm is intensifying and is expected to reach typhoon strength before hitting southern China's coast on Sunday.

Rains from Typhoon Wipha pounded Hong Kong on Sunday as the storm skirted southwards before making landfall on the coast of China’s Guangdong province, leaving fallen trees and scaffolding and sending over 200 people to seek refuge at temporary shelters.