Typhoon KHANUN Expected to Make Landfall in Kyushu

 

KHANUN  is currently passing near Tokunoshima, Kagoshima Prefecture.

As of 6:00 AM, the central pressure is 970 hPa, and the maximum wind speed near the center is 30 m/s, with maximum gusts of 40 m/s. The typhoon is slowly moving eastward. The Amami region and parts of Okinawa Main Island are experiencing strong winds of 25 m/s or more.

The typhoon is expected to make a right-angle turn to the north on Monday, the 7th, and head towards mainland Kyushu. If it follows the center of the forecasted path, it is projected to make landfall on the Satsuma Peninsula in Kagoshima Prefecture on Wednesday, the 9th. Afterward, it is likely to pass through northern Kyushu, including Kumamoto and Fukuoka Prefectures, and head towards the Tsushima Strait. The typhoon's slow movement suggests that the impacts, such as heavy rainfall, strong winds, and high waves, may persist for an extended period.

[Announcement from the Japan Meteorological Agency on August 6, 2023, 05:21 AM]

In the Southwest Islands and southern Kyushu, please exercise extreme caution for landslides, flooding in low-lying areas, and increases in river water levels and floods. In the Southwest Islands, be on high alert for strong winds and high waves. Continued vigilance is necessary as a linear rainband is expected to form over the Amami region and southern Kyushu during the morning of the 6th and 7th, respectively, increasing the risk of heavy rain disasters.

[Typhoon Current Status and Forecast]

As of 4:00 AM on the 6th, KHANUN is located near Tokunoshima, moving slowly eastward. The central pressure is 970 hPa, with maximum sustained winds near the center reaching 30 meters per second and maximum gusts of 40 meters per second. Winds of 25 meters per second or more are occurring within 220 kilometers to the east and 165 kilometers to the west of the center.

The typhoon is approaching the Amami and Okinawa regions closely. It will continue to move eastward on the 6th, and thereafter, it is expected to strengthen as it moves northward over the waters south of Japan, with a possibility of coming close to western Japan from the 8th onwards.

[Disaster Preparedness]<Strong Winds and High Waves>

In the Amami region, there are violent winds with a risk of injury from flying objects and trucks overturning due to intense winds and high waves.

On the 6th, the Amami region will experience violent winds and extremely rough seas. On the 7th, the Okinawa region and southern Kyushu are expected to have very strong winds and rough seas.

The maximum wind speeds (maximum gusts) expected on the 6th are:
Amami region: 30 meters per second (40 meters per second)
Okinawa region: 25 meters per second (35 meters per second)
Southern Kyushu: 20 meters per second (30 meters per second)

The maximum wind speeds (maximum gusts) expected on the 7th are:
Southern Kyushu, Amami region: 25 meters per second (35 meters per second)
Okinawa region: 23 meters per second (35 meters per second)

The maximum wind speeds (maximum gusts) expected on the 8th are:
Southern Kyushu, Amami region: 25 to 29 meters per second (35 to 45 meters per second)
Shikoku region, northern Kyushu region: 20 to 24 meters per second (25 to 35 meters per second)

The wave heights expected on the 6th, accompanied by swells, are:
Amami region: 10 meters
Southern Kyushu, Okinawa region: 8 meters

The wave heights expected on the 7th, accompanied by swells, are:
Southern Kyushu, Amami region, Okinawa region: 8 meters
Shikoku region: 6 meters

The wave heights expected on the 8th, accompanied by swells, are:
Southern Kyushu: exceeding 9 meters
Shikoku region, northern Kyushu region, Amami region, Okinawa region: 6 to 8 meters

Please refrain from unnecessary outdoor activities and take precautions against violent winds. Also, be vigilant against high waves accompanied by swells.

<Heavy Rain, Thunderstorms, and Squalls>

Due to the main body of the typhoon and the development of rain clouds in the vicinity, there may be very heavy rain and intense rainfall with thunder in the Okinawa region, Amami region, and southern Kyushu on the 7th.

The expected 24-hour rainfall until 6:00 AM on the 7th is as follows:
Southern Kyushu, Amami region: 300 mm
Okinawa region: 250 mm
Shikoku region: 200 mm
Northern Kyushu region: 150 mm
Tokai region: 120 mm
Kinki region: 100 mm

The expected 24-hour rainfall until 6:00 AM on the 8th is as follows:
Tokai region, Kinki region, Shikoku region, southern Kyushu: 200 to 300 mm
Northern Kyushu region, Amami region: 100 to 200 mm
Okinawa region: 50 to 100 mm

The expected 24-hour rainfall until 6:00 AM on the 9th is as follows:
Shikoku region, southern Kyushu: 300 to 400 mm
Tokai region, Kinki region, northern Kyushu region: 200 to 300 mm
Amami region: 100 to 200 mm

In the event of a linear rainband, there is a possibility of localized additional rainfall. Please exercise extreme caution against landslides, flooding in low-lying areas, and increases in river water levels and floods. Also, be alert for severe gusts such as tornadoes and lightning. If there are signs of developing cumulonimbus clouds, seek shelter indoors to ensure safety.

In western Japan to the Pacific side of eastern Japan, moist air around the typhoon may cause intermittent and heavy rain even before the typhoon approaches, resulting in a significant amount of rainfall on southeast-facing slopes.

<High Tide>
Due to the combined influence of the typhoon and the spring tide, there may be higher-than-normal tidal levels in the Amami region and southern Kyushu. Please be cautious and vigilant against flooding caused by high tides and wave surges,