Tropical Storm Halola Targets Japan This Weekend

By Eric Leister, Meteorologist

July 20,2015; 10:06PM,EDT

 

 

Less than a week after Typhoon Nangka brought flooding rain to southern Japan, another tropical threat has its sights set on similar areas.
Tropical Storm Halola remains over the open Pacific Ocean, between the Mariana Islands and Japan, and is expected to approach Japan by this weekend.
Halola has already had a long history as the cyclone actually developed to the southwest of Hawaii on July 10.

On July 12, Halola crossed the international date line and entered the western Pacific Ocean. Halola briefly strengthened into a typhoon before encountering strong wind shear which weakened the cyclone back to a tropical storm as it moved over the western Pacific Ocean.
Halola could become the first tropical cyclone to originate in the central Pacific Ocean and make landfall in Japan since Super Typhoon Oliwa in September 1997.
While Oliwa made landfall as a Category 1 storm, Halola is expected to weaken into a tropical storm prior to making its closest approach to Japan with a possible landfall in Shikoku or Honshu this weekend.
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Japan Weather Center
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Strong wind shear will cause Halola to weaken as it turns north and approaches Japan, limiting the threats for any widespread damaging winds; however, isolated damaging winds and flash flooding will be concerns for anyone living in Shikoku or southern and eastern Honshu.
Accuweather meteorologists will continue to monitor and update the potential impacts to Japan from Halola as the cyclone approaches this week.