Typhoon Trami heading for Japan

Powerful Typhoon Trami to slam Japan with life-threatening impacts

Accuweather,
 28 September, 2018

Trami will threaten lives and property as it slams the Ryukyu Islands and barrels into mainland Japan with destructive winds, flooding rain and an inundating storm surge through Monday.

The powerful typhoon is currently equal to a Category 3 major hurricane in the Atlantic or East Pacific oceans and expected to hold that intensity through the weekend.

Residents should be making the necessary precautions to protect themselves and property against the dangerous typhoon. Those living in coastal communities and in flood-prone areas should pay attention to local authorities and heed evacuation orders.

"Time is running out for preparations in the Ryukyu Islands," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski.

At this time, all locations in Japan are at risk for impacts from Trami in the coming days.

"Trami remains on track to blast the Ryukyu Islands through Sunday morning, with mainland Japan bracing for the blow Sunday into Monday," Pydynowski said.

The Ryukyu Islands from Okinawa northward and areas from southern Kyushu to Shikoku and south-central Honshu are expected to endure the most severe impacts.

Residents in these communities could be left without power or water for days or weeks in the wake of Trami. Travel via air, rail and roads can be shut down for a time.

Well-built homes can endure major roof or siding damage. Additional property damage can occur as many trees may be downed. Roads littered with tree damage can delay power restoration.

The outermost rain bands of Trami reached the southern Ryukyu Islands on Friday. Rain, wind and inundating seas will continue to increase overnight.

The worst impacts will be from late Friday night into Saturday night across the southern Ryukyu Islands as Trami passes between Miyako and Okinawa.

A sharp turn toward the north and northeast will follow, causing Trami to pass near or just west of Okinawa, Amami, Tokara and Osumi Saturday into Sunday morning.

"These islands are expected to be slammed with destructive wind gusts of 160-225 km/h (100-140 mph) and flooding rain," said Pydynowski. "Dangerous seas building to heights in excess of 10 meters (34 feet) can severely flood coastal communities."

The potential exists for Trami to make landfall in Tokara and Osumi as the storm races northeastward late in the weekend.

This northeast movement will take the center of Trami dangerously close to and eventually onto the southwestern coast of mainland Japan on Sunday.

The southern coast and mountains of Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu's Kansai region can be blasted by destructive wind gusts similar to what is expected across the Ryukyu Islands.

"Anyone outside during the height of the storm can endure bodily harm or be fatally struck by flying debris," Pydynowski said.

All of Kyushu, Shikoku and western Honshu will face torrential rain that can trigger widespread flooding and mudslides. This includes some of the same communities that endured the historic flooding over the summer.

"Combined with the rain that precedes Trami Friday into Saturday, there can be an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 400 mm (16 inches) across western Japan," Pydynowski said.

"Storm surge flooding along the entire southern coast of Japan will further threaten lives and property Sunday into Sunday night," she added.

Trami will then race across central and eastern Honshu later Sunday into Sunday night.

The heaviest rain may fall north and west of Tokyo, but wind gusts of 95-145 km/h (60-90 mph) can still whip the city on Sunday night. Haneda Airport may be forced to shut down for a time.

While drier weather will quickly return for Monday, the morning commute and daily routines can still be disrupted due to any damage, littered roads or rail lines or power outages left in the wake of Trami.

Hokkaido will be the final stop of Trami in Japan overnight Sunday into Monday, with flooding rain and damaging winds remaining concerns.

With a projected landfall, Trami would be the eighth named storm to strike Japan this year, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls. "There are signs that a ninth may follow next week."

"Out of the seven storms before Trami, six were typhoons," Nicholls added. "The record for landfalling typhoons in Japan is 10 from 2004."

Since Japan has been battered by numerous tropical systems, along with the historic flooding and deadly heat wave, recovery efforts in the wake of Trami can further put a strain on Japan's disaster recovery budget.

Due to the large size and sheer power of Trami, gusty winds and occasional downpours will still affect northern Taiwan, including Taipei, daily through Saturday as a northeast flow streams moisture into the region.

Dangerously rough seas will also be stirred around the island, especially along its northern and eastern coast.