Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

In the Western Pacific:

Typhoon Danas is located approximately 323 nm south-southwest of Sasebo, Japan.

Typhoon Danas rocked parts of Ryukyu Islands on Monday and now has its sights set on southern Japan and South Korea.

After dealing with around 125 mm (5 inches) of rain and tropical storm-force winds in Okinawa, Japan, from Typhoon Fitow Friday and Saturday, Danas slammed the Ryukyu Islands on Monday with damaging winds and blinding downpours. Wind gusts to 195 kph (120 mph) were felt across Yoron Island, as the eye of Danas passed directly overhead.

A destructive storm surge of 2.5-3.5 meters (8-12 feet), damaging winds over 120 kph (75 mph), and flooding rainfall of 4-8 inches are expected along the path of Danas, including the Kyushu and Chugoku regions of Japan, as well as the southern coastline of South Korea.

Danas acquired tropical characteristics Thursday night local time just north of Guam, and then strengthened into a typhoon Saturday night. The storm is smaller in size as compared with other typhoons in the West Pacific this year; however, areas affected by the typhoon will have to contend with potentially life-threatening flooding and damaging winds.

Danas will move in a northwesterly direction as it departs the Ryukyu Islands Monday night before then taking a turn toward the north and eventually northeast Tuesday into Wednesday. This track will take the centre of Danas very close to western Kyushu Tuesday into Tuesday night. During this time the centre is expected to remain over water as it passes between Japan and South Korea.

Danas will begin to weaken Tuesday into Wednesday as it is pulled north and northeastward by a frontal boundary. This frontal boundary will cause Danas to transition into an extra-tropical system over the Sea of Japan before making a landfall in northern Japan on Wednesday. Danas will still produce locally damaging winds along with the threat for flooding rainfall and mudslides as it moves across northern Honshu Wednesday into Wednesday night.

While Tokyo will dodge the worst of Danas, wind gusts on Wednesday could still top out between 50-65 kph (30-40 mph). Danas will then race east-northeastward away from Japan on Thursday, allowing the country to dry out and recover from any adverse impacts. Another cold front will then bring the threat for a soaking rainfall to much of Japan from later Friday into Saturday.

Typhoon Fitow:

At least five people have died, and four others are missing as Typhoon Fitow hit east China's Zhejiang Province.

Two men died in Wenzhou city in Zhejiang province while three people died in the city of Ruian from electric shocks.

Typhoon Fitow has affected over 3 million people in eight cities of Zhejiang. About 56 bullet trains and 20 flights have been cancelled in Fujian.

In the Eastern Pacific:

Tropical storm Narda is located about 1030 mi (1655 km) SW of the southern tip of Baja California. Expected to become a hurricane today.