Powerful Typhoon Kaimi Approaches Okinawa, Warnings Issued for Heavy Rain and Strong Winds

2024/07/23 07:33 Weather News

As of 6 AM on July 23 (Tuesday), Typhoon No. 3 (Kaimi), which is large and powerful, is moving north at a speed of 10 km/h east of the Philippines.

It is expected to continue moving north and further develop, approaching Okinawa with very strong power around tomorrow, July 24 (Wednesday). Caution is necessary for strong winds and high waves, particularly in the Ishigaki Islands, which are near the storm’s path.

▼ Typhoon No. 3 July 23 (Tuesday) 6 AM
　Center Position: East of the Philippines
　Size Class: Large
　Strength Class: Strong
　Movement: North 10 km/h
　Central Pressure: 965 hPa
　Maximum Wind Speed: 40 m/s (near the center)
　Maximum Gust Speed: 55 m/s
　Radius of Storm Winds: 110 km
　Radius of Strong Winds: 500 km
» Latest Typhoon Information

※ The main text of the article continues below.

Total rainfall could reach 300mm

Typhoon No. 3 is forming a large swirling cloud, and rain clouds will begin to appear before the center approaches. During today, July 23 (Tuesday), intermittent rain is expected primarily in the Yaeyama Islands.

After that, from July 24 (Wednesday) to July 25 (Thursday), when the typhoon’s center passes, active rain clouds will pass by and rainfall will increase. Although the amount of rainfall is expected to change depending on the typhoon’s path, it is forecasted that there may be heavy rain, particularly in Ishigaki Island and other areas of the Yaeyama region, reaching around 300mm.

After passing through Okinawa, it is expected to move towards the Chinese mainland. The inflow of moist air between the typhoon and the Pacific high pressure will strengthen, making it more likely to rain on the Pacific side of western Japan. Therefore, even if you are far from the typhoon’s path, you should not let your guard down regarding rainfall.

There is a risk of winds exceeding 50m/s瞬間的には50m/sを超えるような暴風のおそれ

As the typhoon will pass near Okinawa at the peak of its development, strong winds are expected. Particularly in the Yaeyama Islands near the path, wind speeds are forecasted to average over 30m/s, with gusts reaching 40 to 50m/s. If the center passes close to the island, it may strengthen even further.

There are concerns that vehicles may overturn and trees and utility poles may fall. As the typhoon’s movement is relatively slow, severe weather is expected that may prevent outdoor activities for over 24 hours, so preparations for power outages and stockpiling food are necessary.

Please ensure that typhoon preparations are completed by this morning at the latest.
» Radar Wind Mode (Wind Flow)

The thin lines in this diagram represent the simulation results of projected paths calculated by meteorological agencies from various countries. These are obtained as part of the ensemble forecasting method and are included to illustrate the variability in expected paths.

When comparing these members, while there is a general trend heading towards the Yaeyama Islands in Okinawa, there is still variability in the path after passing Okinawa. There are uncertainties not only in the path but also in the timing and intensity predictions. As days go by, the margin of error is expected to decrease, so please pay attention to future updates.

Probability of entering the storm’s area

The probability of entering the storm’s area within five days is as follows for the prefectures where the likelihood is greater than 3% (Meteorological Agency):
　Miyakojima Region: 23 %
　Yaeyama Region: 84 %
　Ishigaki Region: 81 %
　Yonaguni Region: 84 %

On the other hand, around July 28 (Tuesday), before the typhoon moves north, rain due to a front is expected in eastern and western Japan. The moist air on the eastern side of the typhoon is expected to flow towards the front, which may activate the front’s activity around this time.

As rain clouds develop with the passage of a trough in the upper atmosphere, there is a risk of heavy rains accumulating in regions on the Pacific side, so please pay attention to rainfall information even if the typhoon is still far away.
» Point Forecast Weekly Weather

First typhoon in two months: the time for an increase in occurrences

The occurrence of typhoons has been around two months since Typhoon No. 2 occurred at the end of May.

Looking at the average number of typhoon occurrences, the average for July is 3.7, indicating that this is the time when typhoons start to develop. As we enter the full-fledged typhoon season heading into autumn, please make necessary preparations for typhoons and heavy rains.
» Radar Satellite Cloud Image Mode

Name of the Typhoon

The name of the typhoon comes from a list of 140 names proposed by member countries of the international organization “Typhoon Committee,” which are assigned sequentially as they form.

The name of Typhoon No. 3, “Kaimi,” was proposed by South Korea and comes from the Korean word (개미) meaning “ant”.
» Radar Typhoon Mode

Reference materials, etc.