Taiwan, Japan, China on Alert for Tropical Storm Dujuan

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

September 23,2015; 9:28PM,EDT

 

 

The corridor from Taiwan and eastern China to Japan is on alert for Tropical Storm Dujuan, which has the potential to strengthen into a significant typhoon.
Dujuan is currently far from a significant typhoon. The tropical storm is struggling to strengthen due to disruptive wind shear.
If the wind shear proves too much for Dujuan, AccuWeather Meteorologist Anthony Sagliani stated that it is possible that it may weaken further to a tropical wave without a low-level circulation. In this scenario, the tropical threat would diminish altogether for Japan and surrounding areas unless redevelopment can occur.

However, latest indications point toward Dujuan overcoming its battle with the wind shear and eventually strengthening into a typhoon.
"Wind shear is expected to relax over the next 18 to 36 hours," said Sagliani. "Afterwards, environmental conditions favorable for organization and intensification will begin, provided the system does not weaken further into a tropical wave."
Should Dujuan survive its current environment, it will likely become a typhoon this weekend as it churns northwestward through the Philippine Sea.
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Dujuan is expected to blast through a part of Japan's Ryukyu Islands, including Okinawa, Sunday into Monday. Dujuan could be a significant typhoon at this time with winds in excess of 160 kph (100 mph), continued Sagliani.
Such a powerful typhoon would threaten the islands with destructive winds, flooding rain, dangerously rough surf and an inundating storm surge.
The scenarios for Dujuan after it tracks through the Ryukyu Islands range from the future typhoon turning to the northeast toward Kyushu, causing mainland Japan to brace for impacts around Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.

However, Dujuan may maintain a northwestward heading and take aim at eastern China and northern Taiwan during the first part of next week. Taipei, Taiwan, and Shanghai, China, could potentially be threatened given this scenario.

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It is also not out of the question for Dujuan to be drawn northward just east of the Ryukyu Islands before hooking to the northeast south of mainland Japan.
AccuWeather will continue to provide updates and more details on the projected track of Dujuan and any hazards to life and property.