With winds up to 100 mph, Typhoon Lan is nearing Japan’s Ogasawara Islands and could make landfall early next week, officials warned Saturday. Photo courtesy of European Union Copernicus Space Program
Aug. 12 (UPI) — Typhoon Lan is nearing Japan’s Ogasawara Islands and could begin dumping heavy rain and strong wind on parts of the country early next week, officials warned Saturday.
Forecasters predict the typhoon will eventually make landfall Tuesday, somewhere between central Japan’s Tokai region and the Shikoku region in the western part of the country.
“Be very cautious of high waves in the Izu Islands, and be cautious of high waves in the Ogasawara Islands, Kanto, Tokai, Kinki, and Shikoku regions,” the Japan Meteorological Agency said in a statement Saturday.
“As the typhoon moves northward, from [Monday into Tuesday], there will be heavy rain accompanied by thunder and extremely heavy rain, mainly on the Pacific side of eastern Japan and western Japan,” the forecasters said.
The typhoon has sustained winds of more than 100 mph at its center and was situated just east of Japan’s Ogasawara Islands, as of a the most recent update issued by the European Union’s Copernicus space program.
However, EU scientists predict it will weaken in strength before making landfall.
Up to 19.6 inches of rain could fall across the islands before the typhoon passes.
Waves are currently swelling as high as 26.2 feet around the Ogasawara Islands.