Malakas Heading For Southern Japan As a Strong Typhoon; Heavy Rain and Flooding Expected

Tom Moore
Published: September 18,2016
Malakas is a strong typhoon as it heads northeastward on a path towards southern mainland Japan, and it could make landfall with sustained winds in excess of 110 mph and torrential rainfall.
Heavy rainfall is likely in southern and central Japan as Malakas moves through the country.

Current Storm Info

Malakas a Flood Threat For Japan

According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Malakas will continue to accelerate toward the northeast on Monday as it navigates around a subtropical ridge of high pressure aloft.

Projected Path and Intensity

Malakas will likely impact southern mainland Japan on late Monday or early Tuesday (local time), but should be weakening with time. The typhoon is likely to still be a Category 2 or 3 equivalent as it moves into southern Japan's Kyushu Island.
Damaging winds are likely for portions of Kyushu and Shikoku islands, and winds in a very localized area near where Malakas makes landfall and in mountainous terrain in southern Kyushu Island could be as high as 115 mph.

Wind Speed Probability for Winds Greater than 74 mph.

Here are current winds and gusts:

Current Winds

Warnings for this damaging wind potential, heavy rain and flooding potential have been issued by the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA).
The most widespread impact in mainland Japan will be heavy rainfall and possible flooding. Rainfall amounts of 5-12 inches are expected through early Wednesday in southern and central Japan.
Mudslides and landslides are possible in and around the higher terrain of the southern and central Japan.

Rainfall Forecast

(MORE: Typhoon Alley: Where The Most Intense Tropical Cyclones Most Frequently Occur)

Malakas Impact on Taiwan and Japan's Ryukyu Islands

Wind gusts were reported up to 59 mph on an elevated station at Lanyu, Taiwan, and 38 mph in Hualien province in eastern Taiwan on Saturday morning Taiwan time.
In Japan, wind gusts up to 100 mph were reported in Yonagunijima where the eye directly passed overhead. Gusts to 60 mph were reported in Ishigaki in the far southern Ryukyu Islands early Saturday.

MORE: Typhoon Meranti Impacts Taiwan and China