Appears to be going up Taroka Gorge. Seems typhoons will often look for 'entry points' once they get close to the coast, such as big rivers. That coast is bloody rugged, so Taroka Gorge is the path of least resistance. It becomes a kind of over-ride of the other steering mechanisms

I'm not sure if that's an actual thing, but i've seen it a bunch of times. If it is, how does it 'know'. The eye needs water to generate power, so it makes sense that way, but why does it want to do that? It's not an animal with a survival instinct - or is it?

EDIT: so much for that theory - it's continuing to track south - it's already gone past Hualien city & the eye still hasn't made landfall. Is there a potential loop coming?

cwb radar - check out the 3hr track - it's quite erratic - not predicted by anyone.

While it's making its mind up, it's exposing Hualien county/Ilan county to an extended pounding. Up to 500 mm already in those counties - there's a few hours more of 'extremely torrential' rain still to endure.