The government announced a ‘Number 1 Standby’ (ie ‘nothing is happening’) signal just after noon yesterday, even though the typhoon was more than the usual 800 kilometres away. It then announced that it would put up the Number 3 by 9.40pm that evening and would ‘consider’ the Number 8 during the following (ie this) afternoon. It is now saying it will announce the number 8 at 2.20pm, and a ‘Pre-Number 8 Special Announcement’ two hours beforehand. But how does padding out the issuing of numbered storm categories and announcing early-warnings-of-warnings to the whole city really help? Non-panicky advice: get home in good time this evening and expect tomorrow to be a write-off.