Tropical Storm Chan-hom, currently located in the Pacific, is expected to make landfall in the northern Kanto region sometime from late Tuesday through early Wednesday, bringing strong wind and heavy rain to the area.
The storm is heading northwest at 25 kilometers per hour and is forecast to make landfall in Ibaraki and Fukushima prefectures, which would be the first storm to make landfall in either prefecture.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said Monday that it is highly likely to issue warnings for heavy rain, strong winds and landslides in Fukushima Prefecture for Tuesday, urging local residents and tourists heading to the region during the Bon holiday to be on alert.
The storm is expected to cause up to 40 millimeters of rain per hour on Tuesday in the Tohoku region, the JMA said, adding that it will cause maximum gust wind of 30 meters per second, or 108 kilometers per hour.
According to the JMA, between 30 and 50 millimeters per hour will make it feel as if it were raining ¡°buckets.¡±
Chan-hom, the season¡¯s 15th storm, is expected to pass through the mainland and to the Sea of Japan, where it is likely to be downgraded to a tropical depression.
All Nippon Airways said that its flights in and out of Haneda, Narita, Fukushima and Sendai airports might be affected due to the weather, while Japan Airlines did not announce any potential impacts on operations. No scheduling changes were announced by operator East Japan Railway for the Tohoku Shinkansen or the Yamagata Shinkansen lines, both of which pass through Fukushima Prefecture.
Ferries operating between Oarai in Ibaraki Prefecture and Tomakomai, Hokkaido, will be canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday, operator MOL Sunflower said.
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