Tag Archives: Shikoku

Typhoon Malakas Bringing Gusty Winds and Rain to Shikoku and Honshu

Typhoon Malakas is bringing wind and rain to coastal areas of Shikoku and Honshu.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Typhoon Malakas was located near latitude 33.4°N and longitude 134.7°W which put it about 90 miles (145 km) southwest of Osaka, Japan.  Malakas was moving toward the northeast at 25 m.p.h. (40 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 979 mb.

The structure of Typhoon Malakas is starting the transition from a tropical cyclone to an extratropical cyclone.  It retains an eye, but the thunderstorms in the southern part of the eyewall are thinning.  Most of the other thunderstorms are in rainbands north of the center of circulation.  Cooler, drier air is wrapping around the southern side of the circulation.  The strongest winds are occurring over the water near the center of circulation.  Heavy rain is falling over eastern Shikoku and southwestern Honshu near Osaka and Nagoya.

Although Typhoon Malakas is moving over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 28°C, it will continue to weaken as it makes the transition to an extratropical cyclone.  An upper level trough west of Japan is producing southwesterly winds which are blowing across the top of the circulation.  Also, almost half of the circulation is moving over land and the center will move over coastal sections of Honshu.  Increasing vertical wind shear and the added friction caused by the land will weaken Malakas to a tropical storm on Tuesday.

The upper level trough is steering Typhoon Malakas quickly toward the northeast and that general motion is expected to continue.  On its anticipated track Typhoon Malakas will pass south of Osaka and Nagoya.  The center of then Tropical Storm Malakas will move near Tokyo in about 18 hours.  Malakas will continue to bring gusty winds to coastal parts of Honshu.

Powerful Typhoon Malakas Nearing Kyushu

Powerful Typhoon Malakas moved steadily closer to Kyushu on Sunday.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Typhoon Malakas was centered at latitude 29.7°N and longitude 127.9°E which put it about 210 miles (340 km) southwest of Kagoshima, Japan.  Malakas was moving toward the east-northeast at 13 m.p.h. (21 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 120 m.p.h. (195 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 150 m.p.h. (240 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 948 mb.

The circulation of Typhoon Malakas remains well organized and it is taking on the typical structure of a strong tropical cyclone that is starting to recurve.  The size of the eye increased during the past 24 hours.  The eye is surrounded by a ring of strong thunderstorms which is thinner south of the eye.  There are several strong rainbands, but they are primarily in the northern half of the circulation.  The circulation is beginning to pull drier air around the southern side of Malakas which is why the rainbands in that part of the typhoon are weaker.  Thunderstorms in the core of Typhoon Malakas are generating upper level divergence that is pumping out mass toward the northeast.

Typhoon Malakas is moving through an environment that should allow it to maintain its intensity during the next few hours.  It is moving over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C.  An upper level trough to the west of Japan is generating southwesterly winds which are blowing across the top of the circulation.  However, the vertical wind shear is moderate enough to allow Typhoon Malakas to maintain its intensity in the short term.  When Malakas moves farther to the northeast, it will move into a region where where upper level winds are stronger and the vertical wind shear will increase.  More vertical wind shear and the interaction of the circulation with Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu will cause Malakas to weaken.

The upper level trough will continue to steer Typhoon Malakas toward the northeast.  On its anticipated track the center of Malakas will be near southwest Kyushu in about 12 hours.  It will be near Shikoku in 20 hours and is could be near Honshu in 30 hours.

Typhoon Malakas will bring strong winds and heavy rain to southwestern Kyushu.  It is likely to still be a typhoon when it passes near the coast of Shikoku.  Malakas could be a tropical storm when it passes south of Kyoto and when it moves near Tokyo in a couple of days.  Malakas could bring wind and heavy rain to the coastal portions of Honshu later this week.