Typhoon Shanshan to threaten Japan with flooding, damaging winds later this week

By Eric Leister, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

August 06, 2018, 8:44:20 AM EDT

Typhoon Shanshan will approach Japan and could make landfall near Tokyo in the coming days.

While the tropical cyclone is over the open western Pacific Ocean, it will track northwest and threaten Japan by the middle of the week.

Shanshan remains a typhoon, with the equivalent strength of a Category 1 hurricane in the Atlantic and East Pacific basins and could strengthen further in the next 24 to 36 hours.

As the storm approaches eastern Japan, rough seas and surf will affect the eastern coastline of Japan and also threaten shipping interests in the region.

Shanshan is expected to turn north as it approaches the coastline bringing the dangerous cyclone close to or into eastern Honshu before turning northeastward and moving away from Japan later in the week.

This track will bring significant impacts to the Japan mainland with the greatest risk for damaging winds and flooding rainfall across eastern and northern Honshu, including the Greater Tokyo Area.

Shanshan will approach the coastline of Honshu by midweek causing rain and wind to move into the Greater Tokyo Area by Wednesday afternoon, local time.

The worst and most widespread impacts to land will occur from Wednesday night into Thursday night.

Former Typhoon Jongdari recently brought heavy rainfall and damaging winds to some of these same areas. Another round of heavy rainfall and strong winds could result in widespread power outages and tree damage, along with an elevated risk for mudslides and transportation disruptions.

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The Greater Tokyo Area can expect 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) of rainfall with the potential for peak wind gusts of 80-115 km/h (50-72 mph). The magnitude of these winds will be dependent on if Shanshan makes landfall or turns northward prior to reaching the coast.

Locations farther north, including Sendai, may experience localized flooding and damaging winds as Shanshan tracks near or off the coast of northern Honshu on Thursday.

Shanshan will depart to the northeast by Friday resulting in improved conditions across Japan.

The exact track of Shanshan will determine the severity of the impacts on Japan, so check back to AccuWeather.com in the coming days for additional updates on this tropical threat.