A large new typhoon formed near the Ogasawara Islands on August 12 and could approach Honshu around the end of the Obon holiday period, while the remnants of Typhoon No. 15 continue to bring unstable weather and a risk of heavy rain across a wide area of Japan.
Typhoon No. 17 formed near the Ogasawara Islands at 9 a.m. on August 12 and was moving slowly northeast, with a central atmospheric pressure of 994 hectopascals. Maximum sustained winds near the center were 18 meters per second, with maximum gusts of 25 meters per second.
The storm is expected to continue generally northeastward for the time being before changing direction around August 14 in waters southeast of Honshu, creating the possibility that it could move closer to the main island.
Forecast uncertainty remains high, however, with considerable variation in computer simulations over the typhoon's direction and speed after it changes course.
Depending on its eventual track, Typhoon No. 17 could come significantly closer to the Kanto region and the Pacific side of Tohoku around August 15 to August 16, near the end of the Obon holiday period. People planning trips to the sea or mountains during the latter half of the holiday are being advised to closely monitor the storm's progress.
Typhoon No. 15, meanwhile, has moved into the Sea of Japan and weakened into a tropical depression. Despite the typhoon's weakening, moist air flowing in from the sea is expected to make atmospheric conditions unstable from Tohoku through Shikoku.
Heavy rain is possible from Tohoku through the Kinki region on August 12. Individual rain clouds are expected to be relatively small, but some could develop into thunderstorms, bringing sudden downpours and lightning during the afternoon.
Rainfall through midday on August 13 could reach as much as 150 millimeters in parts of Tohoku, Tokai and Kinki, and 100 millimeters in the Kanto-Koshin region.
Forecast highs on August 12 are 33 degrees Celsius in Sapporo, 25 in Kushiro, 29 in Aomori, 30 in Morioka, 27 in Sendai, 32 in Niigata, 29 in Nagano, 33 in Kanazawa, 29 in Nagoya, 27 in Tokyo, 28 in Osaka, 31 in Okayama, 33 in Hiroshima, 30 in Matsue, 34 in Kochi, 33 in Fukuoka, 33 in Kagoshima and 30 in Naha.
Nagoya is forecast to remain below 30 degrees for the first time since the start of August, bringing relatively cooler conditions.
Unstable weather is expected to continue on August 13 as moist air keeps flowing into Japan. Parts of Tohoku and western Japan could see sudden rain, thunderstorms and locally intense downpours.
There is also a risk of storm surges in eastern and western Japan as the effects of the tropical depression coincide with spring tides.
Source: TBS
