By Eric Leister, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
An active pattern for tropical cyclones continues in the West Pacific as Tropical Storm Francisco threatens South Korea with heavy rainfall after making landfall in southern Japan on Tuesday morning.
Francisco made landfall near Miyazaki at around 5 a.m. Tuesday, local time as a potent typhoon.
Francisco formed over the open waters of the West Pacific on Friday and slowly strengthened into a typhoon by Monday afternoon before weakening into a tropical storm as it crossed Kyushu on Tuesday. The storm then made a second landfall near Busan, South Korea Tuesday night.
Radar image showing Typhoon Francisco just prior to landfall in Japan on Tuesday morning, local time.
Francisco injured at least two people and caused significant travel disruptions according to the Japan Times.
A peak wind of 142.6 km/h (88.6 mph) was reported in Miyazaki, a new record for the month of August.
The city of Nobeoka was one of the hardest hit by rainfall with 95.5 mm (3.76 inches) falling in a single hour during the worst of the storm.
Aside from flooded roadways, travel was hampered with than 200 flights canceled across southern Japan. Kyushu Railway was also forced to cancel service across many of its lines.
Rainfall and winds have diminished across Kyushu as Francisco moves into South Korea; however, a few local downpours are possible in eastern Kyushu and Shikoku into Wednesday
The worst impacts from Francisco will now be limited to locations across eastern South Korea with improvement expected from south to north during the day on Wednesday.
Wind gusts of 65-95 km/h (40-60 mph) are possible across eastern South Korea into Wednesday. These winds will be capable of causing some damage to trees and could result in local power outages.
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Heavy rainfall will also be a concern across South Korea as Francisco tracks northward through Wednesday.
Busan and southeast South Korea were the first to be impacted by Francisco with nearly 75 mm (3 inches) of rain falling in less than 10 hours on Tuesday.
Rainfall of 75-150 mm (3-6 inches) is expected across the eastern half of the country with 25-75 mm (1-3 inches in west-central locations and less than 25 mm (1 inch) in west parts of the country, including Seoul.
Francisco will weaken as it moves across South Korea, but is expected to remain a tropical storm as it moves into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) late Wednesday. A sharp turn toward the northeast will then take the storm near or over Hokkaido, Japan, as a tropical rainstorm late in the week.
Satellite image of Tropical Storm Francisco approaching South Korea after making landfall in Japan. (Japan Meteorological Agency/Himawari 8 satellite)
Locations across Hokkaido will be at risk for localized flooding during this time; however, wind damage is not expected.
Francisco will not be the only tropical threat for Japan and South Korea this week. Both Tropical Storm Lekima and a Tropical Storm Krosa could bring impacts to the region as early as this weekend with further impacts possible next week.
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