Tropical Storm Faxai likely to make landfall in Japan late this weekend

By Brian Thompson, AccuWeather meteorologist

In what has become an active stretch of the West Pacific, another tropical cyclone has developed and may ultimately impact portions of Japan.

The tropical depression has strengthened into Tropical Storm Faxai to the west of Wake Island and may continue to gradually strengthen over the next couple of days.

Faxai will pass to the north of the Mariana Islands through Friday and continue to move northwesterly over the weekend.

Satellite imagery, taken on Thursday afternoon, local time, shows newly formed Tropical Storm Faxai as it continues to gradually strengthen in the Western Pacific. (Image/NOAA)

Strengthening is forecast through the end of the week, and the storm is expected to become a typhoon into the weekend. Wind speeds equivelent to a category one hurricane in the Atlantic or Eastern Pacific basins are anticipated.

"This will remain a compact storm during its lifespan, even when it does become a typhoon," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk. "The fact that it will be a compact storm and will continue to move along at a good pace will limit the overall damage and flood threat across Japan Sunday through Monday."

Even though the storm is expected to be small, the threat should not be taken lightly in Japan.

Especially near the coast of Honshu, including Tokyo, residents should start to prepare now in advance of the storm. The rain and wind will be a threat to life and property, even though it will impact a relatively small area, according to Houk.

Rainfall amounts of 75-150 mm (3-6 inches) are expected near where the center of the storm comes ashore, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 250 mm (10 inches).

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With a landfall most likely on Honshu, that is where there will be the highest likelihood that winds will reach typhoon force, especially along the coast. Coastal flooding will also be a threat in low-lying areas, especially in areas east of the eye of Faxai.

As this storm approaches Japan, Lingling will not be too far off to the north and west, bringing damaging winds and flooding rain to the Korean Peninsula and extreme northeastern China over the weekend.

Even after the storm passes, the pattern looks to remain fairly unsettled across Japan through much of next week, with a few rounds of rain moving through the country.