Halola Weakens, Bringing Rain to Japan

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

July 26,2015; 9:13PM,EDT

 

 

Halola remains on track to bring rain to Japan through the beginning of the week. Halola was downgraded to a tropical depression on Saturday evening, local time.
Halola is concluding its long journey across the Pacific Ocean since developing southwest of Hawaii on July 10. That journey will end across the Sea of Japan, but not before bringing rain to Japan during the beginning of the week.

Halola was the first tropical cyclone to originate in the central Pacific Ocean and track through the Ryukyu Islands since Super Typhoon Oliwa in September 1997. Oliwa did so with its strength equal to that of a Category 1 hurricane, then continued on to make landfall in mainland Japan.
RELATED:
Japan Weather Center
Accuweather West Pacific Tropical Center
Interactive Japan Weather Radar
Halola passed just to the north of Okinawa on Saturday, local time, bringing gusty wind and bands of rain. Wind at Kadena Air Base peaked at 67 kph (42 mph). About 109 mm (4.3 inches) of rain fall at Okinoerabu, just to the north of Okinawa.
During the beginning of the week, moisture from Halola will track to the northeast along the southwestern coast of Honshu providing rainy conditions from Hagi to Yonago. This area of rain will move into central Honshu on Monday night and Tuesday.

Weather Outlook Across Asia

Despite moisture moving into central Japan, Tokyo is expected to remain largely dry through the beginning of the week. Most likely, the city will only see passing clouds as moisture moves overhead.
Rainfall is expected to be the heaviest across the mountainous terrain of central Honshu on Monday night with as much as 50 mm (2 inches) of rain possible in a few areas. Despite the heavier rain, flooding is not expected.
Contributions by Meteorologist Adam Douty