Japan is bracing for widespread impacts from Severe Tropical Storm Krosa, as the storm churns over the west Pacific to the south of the country.
Krosa will be the third tropical cyclone to make landfall across mainland Japan in as many weeks following Typhoon Francisco and Tropical Storm Nari.
The large size of Krosa will put millions of people in the storm's path, with impacts ranging from travel-disrupting downpours to flooding and mudslides.
Tropical Storm Krosa on Monday afternoon, local time, located south of Japan. (Japanese Meteorological Agency/Himawari 8)
Despite weakening from a typhoon into a severe tropical storm earlier this week, Krosa is forecast to once again become a typhoon prior to making landfall in southern Japan as early as Thursday.
The large size of Krosa allowed rain bands to affect the northern Ryukyu Islands, Kyushu and Shikoku on Tuesday despite the center of the storm still being well offshore.
Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways announced the cancellation of around 100 flights for Wednesday in advance of Krosa's arrival, according to The Japan Times.
West Japan Railway stated some rail services may be suspended on Thursday and Awa Odori festival has canceled Wednesday's performance due to the storm.
Conditions will worsen across southern Japan from Wednesday into Thursday as Krosa approaches Kyushu and Shikoku from the south.
The most likely areas to endure significant impacts will be across southern Japan, including Kinki, Shikoku and Kyushu regions.
Impacts will range from damaging wind gusts near the point of landfall to flooding rainfall, mudslides and storm-surge flooding along south-facing coasts.
Damaging winds will be a concern across Kyushu, Shikoku and southwest Honshu where wind gusts of 65-95 km/h (40-60 mph) will be common.
Locations near and just east of where Krosa makes landfall will be at risk for wind gusts up to 130 km/h (80 mph).
Weakening is expected as Krosa crosses southern Japan from Thursday into Thursday night, ending the threat for damaging winds as the storm tracks into the Sea of Japan (East Sea).
Heavy rainfall will also raise the risk for flooding and mudslides across southern Japan from Wednesday afternoon into Friday morning.
Widespread rainfall of 75-150 mm (3-6 inches) is possible across Shikoku, Kyushu and southwest Honshu.
An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 500 mm (20 inches) is possible in the hardest-hit locations of southern Japan. Areas at greatest risk for this magnitude of rainfall will be across southern and eastern Kysuhu and southern Shikoku.
Residents in cities from Nobeoka to Kochi and Osaka should continue to monitor this storm and have a plan in place should evacuations be ordered.
Krosa is a large storm system, so while the worst conditions will be felt across southern Japan, downpours may extend well away from where the storm makes landfall.
The heaviest rain is expected to remain to the south and west of Tokyo, though residents should still monitor the situation as bands of rain could still impact the city and surrounding areas from Thursday into Friday.
Krosa will also bring the risk for downpours to eastern South Korea from Thursday into Friday.
As Krosa races northward, the risk for flooding will shift into eastern North Korea, Hokkaido and southeast Russia by as early as Friday with lingering impacts possible on Saturday.
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