Updated Oct. 23, 2019 11:16 AM
In the wake of several tropical systems that brought flooding to Japan, including Typhoon Hagibis that caused over 70 deaths, another round of flooding rain is expected later this week.
While direct impacts from Typhoon Bualoi are expected to pass far enough offshore that the storm will not be a threat to mainland Japan, a second area of low pressure will strengthen near southern Japan and spread heavy rain over much of the country.
Typhoon Bauloi, located to the southeast of Japan, as seen from the Himawari 8 satellite early on Wednesday night, local time. (Image/CIRA RAAMB)
Bualoi developed several hundred miles to the southeast of Guam over the past weekend before it strengthened into a typhoon on Monday morning, local time.
Rain that began across Kyushu at midweek will expand in coverage and intensity as it moves northward through the second half of the week.
The greatest threat for flooding rainfall will expand from Kyushu into Wednesday night into Shikoku and southern and eastern Honshu Thursday into Friday.
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk said that the hardest-hit areas can receive 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) of rain including an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 250 mm (10 inches).
Houk adds, "The core of the heavy rain will come down in a 12-hour time window along the path of the low."
Many of these areas have already been inundated with heavy rain so far this month. As a result, rainfall of this magnitude can more easily trigger flooding and mudslides.
Outside of the areas with the greatest flood threat, 25-100 mm (1-4 inches) of rain will fall that can lead to an isolated flood threat.
Even in the event that flooding does not unfold in any given location, heavy rain will likely lead to travel delays and can slow recovery in areas recently overwhelmed by flooding.
Towns in southern and eastern Honshu have been hit particularly hard this month. Tokyo has received 412 mm (16.23 inches) of rain so far during October, which is nearly double the city's normal monthly rainfall.
A weakened Typhoon Bualoi is seen churning over the open West Pacific as a separate storm system moves over Japan on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019. (Image CIRA/RAAMB)
Other locations in southern Honshu have had even greater rainfall during October. Owase has received just over 1,000 mm (40 inches) of rain. Of that, 523 mm (20.6 inches) fell in just one day.
While heavy rain will continue to batter the country this week, some good news may be on the horizon for flood-weary residents.
"In the wake of this round of potentially flooding rainfall, there appears to be a break in widespread heavy rain into the end of the month," Houk said.
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