Shanghai is bracing for potentially heavy rainfall and strong winds as Typhoon Kong-rey, the 21st typhoon of this year, barrels toward the East China region.

As of 2 pm on Wednesday, Kong-rey was centered about 465 km southeast of the Taitung city of Taiwan, with the maximum wind speed near its center reaching 216 km/h and a minimum central pressure of 920 hPa, according to the National Meteorological Center.

In Shanghai, the heaviest impacts are expected from the afternoon of Thursday through Friday. The city is projected to see total rainfall of 120-180 mm, with southeastern areas recording rainfall of up to 280 mm. This could rank among Shanghai's heaviest November rainfall events on record going back to 1981, according to local authorities.

Wind will also be a major threat, with the potential for gusts of 55-72 mph near the coast and river, and gusts of 39-54 mph in land areas on Friday before diminishing on Saturday.

China's weather authority has issued a yellow alert for Typhoon Kong-rey, the third most severe warning of its four-tier typhoon warning system, and urged local governments and emergency services to prepare for major impacts.