By: Weatherguy Adonis
Adonis Manzan
Tropical WestPac Relaxes, Sporadic Flooding Hits Japan
Iloilo City, Philippines, 06 July 2012, (0700Z)–As Japan basks in summer, huge storms march towards its Western coasts from mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Two (2) days ago, 04-05th of July 2012, Wednesday and Thursday, there had been torrential rains across much of Eastern China, hurtling towards drought-stricken Korea. Japan too has been receiving copious amounts of flooding rainfall reaching 500 mm for the last 24 hrs. It was more than the soil can hold, thus the massive flash floods that followed. It has been thought that in the Korean Peninsula has been enduring a prolonged period of drought as experts have been elaborating it a one-hundred (100)-year event for the region. Japan however have had quite the opposite, it had more rains than it should have. The first three (3) months of the year had been exceptionally stormy across the Japanese archipelago, and on May and June alone, the region have been reeling from a series of severe weather and Typhoons–considered as one of the earliest for the last decade or so.
Record Rainfall
Kyushu has been receiving record amounts of rainfall since Wednesday, it has been the ill-effects of a lingering area of “Low Pressure,” that emanated from Eastern China before the busy workweek. It spawned flooding and mudslides along the steeper elevations in Southwestern Japan. Areas where flooding potential were high were considered unsafe for the residents there to stay, thus the evacuation advisories were issued in Kyushu and neighboring townships.
Fig. 1.0 "ANN reporter relays to the audience the devastation wrought by massive flash floods in Kyushu. Image Courtesy: ANN."
Oita and Fukuoka Prefectures have been receiving massive amounts of rains since early Tuesday, where a 76-year old man was confirmed to have died and another still missing as a result of the flash floods. Authorities in the region are bent to issue warnings on communities along the river banks to evacuate to designated evacuation centers. Based on the local reports that I have come across with, there had been more than 7,000 residents flocking to shelters as local authorities in Hita and Oita Prefectures, where near 17,500 people were believed to have heeded the evacuation advisories and sought higher grounds in the advance of the rains. More than 2,850 households were affected with 76,000 more in Fukuoka and Asakura Prefectures.
Fig. 2.0 "A fatality in the flash floods, 76-year old man confirmed dead. Image Courtesy: ANN."
Below are some of the video grabs I did via TV Asahi’s ANN: Just click the link “Kyushu Flooding.”
Fig. 3.0 "Brute force of rushing waters overturned the vehicle in Kyushu town. Image Courtesy: ANN."
More Rains Forecast
According to Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), more heavy rains can be expected to affect much of Western and Southeastern sections of Japan well into Friday night. Hokuriku and Tokai Prefectures can expect beyond 80 mm/hr this afternoon as of writing, and Tohoku could also be on the brink of flooding too if the record rainfall accumulation don’t let up.
A deep area of “Low Pressure” continues to hover over the Korean Peninsula and the Sea of Japan, wherein most of the precipitation continues to sweep through Northeast to Eastwards, smacked down are the Western periphery of Japan as moisture-laden power the “Ocean-effect,” which generate and carries along with it flood potential and dangerous weather conditions across much of Japan.
Fig. 4.0 "Nowcast by JMA indicate heaviest rainfall occurring as of writing at 162O JST (0720Z). Imagery Courtesy: JMA."
Easterlies Pummel Eastern & Central Philippines
Typhoons and weak Tropical Disturbances that has caused mayhem and flooding across the Philippines for the last two (2) months have died down as the Western Pacific relaxes momentarily due to the retreating MJO over the Indian Ocean. Having said that, we could still expect some thundery showers and sporadic torrential rains especially along the Eastern sections of the country due to the influence of the Ridging effect of the WestPac High, and the persistent prevalence of the “Easterly flow.” It wouldn’t be much but there would be tense convective thunderstorms that may generate flooding rains, so please bear in mind that there will be no let up on flooding potential as yet.
Fig. 5.0 "Strong Easterlies pop up more thunderstorms along the Eastern coast of Bicolandia, Visayas and Northern Mindanao. Imagery Courtesy: CIRA."
The rains have stopped here in Iloilo City right now after strong winds, heavy rains accompanied by an earful of crackling thunder after bright flashes of lightning lights up the afternoon skyline. Again, the effects of the “Easterlies,” are brief but deadly at times! So be on guard and stay safe!
Fig. 6.0 "This is what I had taken outside our elevated garden and drying area on the second floor of our residence. Dark, ominous Cb clouds abound before the lightning storms that followed. Image Courtesy: Adonis Manzan."
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with data from NOAA, JTWC, JMA, TV Asahi-ANN and Westernpacificweather.com
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