Typhoon Hinnamnor was originally headed straight for Taiwan, but veered away right at our doorstep. Not only did it spare Taiwan from major disaster, but it also helped relieve the drought crisis—truly a model student among typhoons hitting Taiwan.
Rainfall was scarce in Taiwan throughout July and August, until a wave of rain arrived on August 25th. This typhoon completely cleared up the dry spell, bringing a surge of water to major reservoirs. Good news also came from the high-mountain tea regions that were previously facing water shortages, as irrigation sources for the winter tea are now generally secure.
High-mountain autumn tea is harvested in August, and after giving the tea trees a generous supply of irrigation water, they begin to grow winter tea. If water is insufficient, it leads to uneven sprouting and growth, and quality drops drastically. The rain on August 25th and this typhoon came just in time to ensure the sprouting and yield of the winter tea. As long as the weather cooperates moving forward, the winter tea has a great chance of being as bountiful as the autumn harvest.
Although it didn’t cause disaster in Taiwan, Typhoon Hinnamnor’s strength should not be underestimated. We hope it doesn’t cause too severe an impact on South Korea, mainland China, and Japan.
Note: The photos show the Cingjing Songgang tea region in winter.
