Thursday, August 15, 2024 As Japan approaches one of its busiest travel periods, the Bon holiday, the country is bracing for the possible intensification of Tropical Storm Ampil into a typhoon. The storm, expected to hit eastern Japan on Friday, threatens to bring widespread disruption to public transportation, including trains, flights, and highways, as well as significant weather-related hazards like strong winds, high waves, and heavy rainfall. The timing of Ampil’s approach is particularly concerning as it coincides with the Bon holiday, a time when millions of Japanese citizens travel across the country to visit family and participate in traditional ceremonies.
Tropical Storm Ampil is currently on a northeast trajectory, moving at a speed of 15 kilometers per hour. As of Wednesday afternoon, the storm was positioned approximately 150 km west-southwest of Chichijima island in the Ogasawara Islands, with a central pressure of 975 hectopascals. The storm has already generated maximum sustained winds of 108 kph and gusts of up to 162 kph.
However, weather forecasts predict that Ampil will strengthen as it approaches the Izu Islands, Kanto, and southern Tohoku regions, potentially becoming a typhoon by Friday. The storm is expected to peak in intensity between Friday and Saturday, bringing sustained winds of up to 144 kph and gusts as high as 216 kph in the Izu Islands and Kanto region. The Tokai and Tohoku regions are also likely to experience strong gusts of up to 126 kph.