Typhoon Muifa, which was packing winds of up to 162 kph (100 mph), is expected to make Landfall on the east coast of China on Saturday evening or Sunday. Weather in Shanghai, the official told local media the city was "in principle excluded," a direct hit, but has warned it could be close.
Would be the worst typhoon to hit the commercial center of China since 2005, when Typhoon Matsa killed seven people after making landfall in the vicinity.
China Southern Airlines canceled over 140 flights to eastern China from Saturday afternoon, while Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines warned of "serious consequences" for services.
Shanghai warned the bullet train services can be affected by the storm, a sensitive issue after a fatal high speed crash two weeks ago, which was initially attributed to the weather.
Official Xinhua News Agency said China had invited more than 7,000 fishing boats in port, and local governments were preparing for a possible evacuation of residents.
Muifa hit island of Okinawa, Japan on Friday, causing torrential rains, causing flight cancellations and power outages, leaving at least a dozen people with minor injuries often.
China National Meteorological Center said that the typhoon was expected to make landfall in the eastern provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu, the two neighboring Shanghai.
Strong winds, heavy rain and waves of 4.5 meters (15 feet) high were expected in coastal areas and up to 12 meters in the East China Sea. But the storm dropped to power Wednesday night, from a super typhoon to a severe typhoon.