Typhoon Bualoi to avoid Japan, but flood threat remains as separate storm arrives
By
Adam Douty, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Oct 22, 2019 11:50 AM EDT
In the wake of several tropical systems that brought flooding to Japan, including Typhoon Hagibis that caused over 70 deaths, another round of flooding rain is expected later this week.
While direct impacts from Typhoon Bualoi are expected to pass far enough offshore that the storm will not be a threat to mainland Japan, a second area of low pressure strengthened near southern Japan and is spreading heavy rain over much of the country.
Typhoon Bauloi, located to the east of Japan, as seen from the Himawari 8 satellite late Friday, local time. (Image/CIRA RAAMB)
Image/CIRA RAAMB
Bualoi developed several hundred miles to the southeast of Guam over the past weekend before it strengthened into a typhoon on Monday morning, local time.
Rain that began across Kyushu at midweek will expand in coverage and intensity as it moves northward through the end of the week.
The greatest threat for flooding rainfall will expand into Shikoku and southern and eastern Honshu into Friday night.
In the Chiba Prefecture, officials said that water would be released from two dams to prevent them from bursting due to the heavy rain, according to NHK. Residents of Kimitsu, Kisarazu, Sodegaura and Ichihara were told to be on alert.
Water will be released from the Kameyama Dam in Kimitsu after 4:30 p.m. Friday, local time, which will cause water levels to rise on the Obitsu River, NHK reported.
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk said that the hardest-hit areas can receive 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) of rain including an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 250 mm (10 inches).
Houk adds, "The core of the heavy rain will come down in a 12-hour time window along the path of the low."
Many of these areas have already been inundated with heavy rain so far this month. As a result, rainfall of this magnitude can more easily trigger flooding and mudslides.
Outside of the areas with the greatest flood threat, 25-100 mm (1-4 inches) of rain will fall that can lead to an isolated flood threat.
Even in the event that flooding does not unfold in any given location, heavy rain will likely lead to travel delays and can slow recovery in areas recently overwhelmed by flooding.
Towns in southern and eastern Honshu have been hit particularly hard this month. Tokyo has received 412 mm (16.23 inches) of rain so far during October, which is nearly double the city's normal monthly rainfall.
Other locations in southern Honshu have had even greater rainfall during October. Owase has received just over 1,000 mm (40 inches) of rain. Of that, 523 mm (20.6 inches) fell in just one day.
While heavy rain will continue to batter the country this week, some good news may be on the horizon for flood-weary residents.
"In the wake of this round of potentially flooding rainfall, there appears to be a break in widespread heavy rain into the end of the month," Houk said.
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News / Weather News
Typhoon Bualoi to avoid Japan, but flood threat remains as separate storm arrives
By Adam Douty, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Oct 22, 2019 11:50 AM EDT
In the wake of several tropical systems that brought flooding to Japan, including Typhoon Hagibis that caused over 70 deaths, another round of flooding rain is expected later this week.
While direct impacts from Typhoon Bualoi are expected to pass far enough offshore that the storm will not be a threat to mainland Japan, a second area of low pressure strengthened near southern Japan and is spreading heavy rain over much of the country.
Typhoon Bauloi, located to the east of Japan, as seen from the Himawari 8 satellite late Friday, local time. (Image/CIRA RAAMB)
Bualoi developed several hundred miles to the southeast of Guam over the past weekend before it strengthened into a typhoon on Monday morning, local time.
Rain that began across Kyushu at midweek will expand in coverage and intensity as it moves northward through the end of the week.
The greatest threat for flooding rainfall will expand into Shikoku and southern and eastern Honshu into Friday night.
In the Chiba Prefecture, officials said that water would be released from two dams to prevent them from bursting due to the heavy rain, according to NHK. Residents of Kimitsu, Kisarazu, Sodegaura and Ichihara were told to be on alert.
Water will be released from the Kameyama Dam in Kimitsu after 4:30 p.m. Friday, local time, which will cause water levels to rise on the Obitsu River, NHK reported.
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AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk said that the hardest-hit areas can receive 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) of rain including an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 250 mm (10 inches).
Houk adds, "The core of the heavy rain will come down in a 12-hour time window along the path of the low."
Many of these areas have already been inundated with heavy rain so far this month. As a result, rainfall of this magnitude can more easily trigger flooding and mudslides.
Outside of the areas with the greatest flood threat, 25-100 mm (1-4 inches) of rain will fall that can lead to an isolated flood threat.
Even in the event that flooding does not unfold in any given location, heavy rain will likely lead to travel delays and can slow recovery in areas recently overwhelmed by flooding.
Towns in southern and eastern Honshu have been hit particularly hard this month. Tokyo has received 412 mm (16.23 inches) of rain so far during October, which is nearly double the city's normal monthly rainfall.
Other locations in southern Honshu have had even greater rainfall during October. Owase has received just over 1,000 mm (40 inches) of rain. Of that, 523 mm (20.6 inches) fell in just one day.
While heavy rain will continue to batter the country this week, some good news may be on the horizon for flood-weary residents.
"In the wake of this round of potentially flooding rainfall, there appears to be a break in widespread heavy rain into the end of the month," Houk said.
Report a Typo