The powerful typhoon will not make a direct strike on Japan, but AccuWeather forecasters say the country will still have to contend with tropical downpours and potentially damaging winds.
Typhoon Mindulle spins over the Philippine Sea early Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021. Satellite imagery showed the storm had developed a sizeable eye. (CIRA/RAMMB)
As Japan braces for its brush with Typhoon Mindulle, AccuWeather forecasters say the storm remains formidable as it churns over the Philippine Sea. While Mindulle hasn't held its super typhoon title since the start of the week, forecasters caution that the storm still has the capacity to pack quite a punch.
As of Wednesday evening, local time, Typhoon Mindulle was located in the Philippine Sea and was tracking to the north at 9 mph (15 km/h). According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Mindulle had maximum 10-minute average sustained winds of 109 mph (176 km/h) and was the equivalent of a Category 3 major hurricane in the Atlantic and East Pacific basins.
Mindulle is forecast to maintain this intensity into early Friday. On Friday, Mindulle will make its closest approach to Japan, likely as the equivalent of a Category 3 major hurricane or a strong Category 2 hurricane in the Atlantic basin.
Impacts from Mindulle are already being felt in Japan. According to the JMA, high wave advisories are in effect for the entire southern Japanese coast from the Ryukyu Islands to the Ibaraki Prefecture.
Into the weekend, Mindulle will continue to create large swells that can bring dangerous swimming conditions, including strong rip currents, to beaches across the Ryukyu Islands and mainland Japan, including the south and east coast of Kyushu, Shikoku and Honshu.
AccuWeather forecasters say the track of the storm will likely prevent a direct landfall in Japan and spare the country from the most significant impacts. However, forecasters caution that Japan will not escape impacts entirely, as the outer rainbands of Mindulle are set to overspread parts of the country.
"Bands of rain and wind will sweep across portions of Shikoku and Honshu from Thursday through Friday," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty said.
Mindulle's rainbands will likely unleash the heaviest rain for parts of Honshu, including Tokyo and Sendai.
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This can lead to the threat of isolated flash flooding, especially in the mountainous terrain across the region.
With the center of Mindulle expected to pass to the south of Japan, wind damage is not expected to be a significant concern. However, the risks would increase should the storm pass closer to land, according to Douty.
Residents across southern Japan should continue to monitor the forecast and remain aware of the situation.
After brushing Japan, Mindulle is forecast to continue to track to the north or northeast and quickly lose wind intensity as it moves into an area of unfavorable conditions for tropical development. Mindulle is expected to dissipate later this weekend or early next week over the open waters of the Pacific Ocean.
After initially developing last week, Mindulle reached super typhoon intensity on Sunday when its maximum 1-minute sustained winds reached 150 mph (241 km/h), according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). Winds of this strength are equivalent to a strong Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, used mainly in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific basins.
Early Monday, Mindulle lost some wind intensity and was stripped of its super typhoon designation.
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