NHK


 

Japanese weather officials say a tropical depression to the south of Japan is likely to develop into a tropical storm late on Wednesday night. The storm is likely to approach western and eastern Japan from Thursday through Friday.

The Japan Meteorological Agency says the depression, located southeast of Okinawa Prefecture's Daitojima region, was moving north-northwest at 25 kilometers per hour as of noon on Wednesday.

The weather system had a central atmospheric pressure of 1,006 hectopascals. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 54 kilometers per hour at its center, with peak gusts of 82.8 kilometers per hour.

It is likely to develop into a tropical storm late on Wednesday night and approach the Daitojima region and Kagoshima Prefecture's Amami region, and then the Kyushu region on Thursday.

Atmospheric conditions are expected to become unstable in southern Kyushu and Amami, with moist air flowing in from the storm. It could bring heavy rain with lightning and localized downpours through Thursday.

The amount of rainfall in the 24-hour period through Thursday morning is expected to reach up to 100 millimeters in southern Kyushu and Amami.

Winds are likely to intensify in these regions. Rough seas are expected off the Daitojima, southern Kyushu and Amami regions.

Agency officials are urging people to be on the alert for landslides, flooding in low-lying areas and swollen rivers, as well as strong winds, high waves, lightning strikes and gusty winds.

Officials are calling on people to stay updated on the latest weather information.