Typhoon Malakas will bring new hazards to Taiwan late this week before threatening to flood Japan next week.
Typhoon Malakas will spare the areas hit hardest by once-Super Typhoon Meranti. Instead, Malakas will take a track farther to the north, passing extremely close to or in between Taiwan and Japan’s southernmost Ryukyu Islands.
Malakas will be equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic or eastern Pacific oceans as it makes its closest approach to these islands
It is even possible that Malakas intensifies into the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane for a time.
“Typhoon Malakas is expected to affect the eastern and northern part of Taiwan Friday into Saturday with rain and wind,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Rob Richards said.
Dangerous seas will also build, leading to coastal flooding.
Strong winds, torrential rain and an inundating surf will target the southernmost Ryukyu Islands during this time.
The northeastern tip of Taiwan will face the worst impacts from Malakas. The typhoon may track close enough to the coast to produce damaging wind gusts over 160 km/h (100 mph), according to Richards.
“Outside of far northeastern Taiwan, wind damage across Taiwan will tend to be minor as the strongest winds of Malakas are tightly packed around its center,” Richards said.
Gusts will generally average 65-95 km/h (40-60 mph) in eastern and northern Taiwan, but some gusts could reach 115-130 km/h (70-80 mph) in Taipei, he said. Residents should prepare for power outages and flying debris, which can cause additional damage and harm.
Flooding and mudslides may also ensue in northeastern Taiwan. Richards anticipates rainfall to total 75-150 mm (3-6 inches).
“Rainfall will be on the higher end of that range in far northeastern Taiwan with locally up to 250 mm (10 inches) in the mountains,” he said.
Read more: http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/typhoon-malakas-taiwan-japan-rain-wind-threat/60118438