Tropical Storm Lupit brought rain to Japan on Sunday. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Tropical Storm Lupit was located at latitude 32.3°N and longitude 131.6°E which put it about 20 miles (30 km) southwest of Miyazaki, Japan. Lupit was moving toward the east-northeast at 26 m.p.h. (42 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 990 mb.
Tropical Storm Lupit made landfall on the coast of Kyushu near Kagoshima on Sunday. Lupit was being steered quickly toward the east-northeast by an upper level trough near the Korean Peninsula. The trough was producing strong southwesterly winds that were blowing toward the top of Lupit’s circulation. Those winds were causing strong vertical wind shear and they were affecting the distribution of rain in Tropical Storm Lupit. Most of the heavier rain was falling in bands north and east of the center of Lupit. The heavier rain was falling over Shikoku, northern Kyushu and southwestern Honshu. Bands south and west of the center of circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. The strongest winds were occurring in the southern half of Tropical Storm Lupit. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 160 miles (260 km) on the south side of Lupit. The winds in the northern half of the circulation were blowing at less than tropical storm force.
The trough near the Korean Peninsula will steer Tropical Storm Lupit quickly toward the northeast during the next 36 hours. On its anticipated track the center of Lupit will move over the southern Sea of Japan. The center of Tropcial Storm Lupit could be near northern Honshu in 36 hours. Rain will spread over the rest of Honshu and Hokkaido during the next two days. Locally heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.
Tropical Storm Lupit will move through an environment only marginally favorable for intensification. Lupit will move over water in the Sea of Japan where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C. However, the upper level trough will continue to cause strong vertical wind shear. The lower part of Lupit’s circulation will also be disrupted while it passes over land. Tropical Storm Lupit is not likely to strengthen significantly and it could weaken if the center does not move over the Sea of Japan.
Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Mirinae was moving eastward away from Japan. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Tropical Storm Mirinae was located at latitude 36.6°N and longitude 144.7°E which put it about 230 miles (370 km) east-northeast of Tokyo, Japan. Mirinae was moving toward the northeast at 18 m.p.h. (30 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 990 mb.