Historic rainfall causes flooding in Japan

By Eric Leister, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

5/13/2019, 1:03:04 PM

A new rainfall record was set in Japan on Monday as Yonaguni Island reported 276.5 millimeters of rain over the three-hour period.

Rainfall rates of this magnitude are almost impossible to image, as many locations in the United States would only expect to see that magnitude of rainfall in 3 months, not 3 hours.

Satellite image showing the heavy rainfall affecting Yonaguni Island and far southern parts of Ryukyu Islands on Monday, May 13. (Image/Himawari 8)

Over a one-hour period, rainfall of 109.5 mm (4.31 inches) was reported, the highest ever recorded in the month of May.

In total 442 mm (17.4 inches) of rain fell during the cloudburst causing significant flooding and elevating the risk for mudslides.

The Japan Meteorological Agency has declared the event a once in 50-year event.

Yonaguni Island is prone to impacts from tropical cyclones which makes this new record even more astounding considering there was no tropical system in the area.

Largely dry weather is expected across the Island in the coming days.

The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of AccuWeather, Inc. or AccuWeather.com

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