Typhoons in Japan
Typhoons occur very often in Japan. On average, they happen about 15 times a year. The hardest hit regions are Kyūshū, Chūgoku and Chūbu.The typhoon season in the Pacific usually begins with less severe storms in April and does not end until November. The most severe typhoons usually occur in August and September.
The most severe typhoon to make landfall in Japan in the past 12 months was »Nanmadol«. It reached a wind speed of up to 172 km/h on September 18, 2022 at 3:00 pm local time near Nishinoomote and was 9 kilometers in diameter at the time. According to the internationally accepted Saffir-Simpson classification, this corresponded to a category 2 typhoon. On the open sea, speeds of up to 248 km/h were even measured (category 4).
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Current typhoon: Roke
On September 28, 2022 at 3:00 pm, typhoon »Roke« formed in the Northwest Pacific with an initial wind speed of 54 km/h. The storm system initially moved northeast at 19 km/h 26 km/h and reached a diameter of 83 kilometers in the meantime. At September 29, 2022 at 9:00 pm, it reached its highest wind speed to date of 156 kilometers per hour. This corresponds to a typhoon of category 2.Roke has since subsided and is no longer under observation by the authorities. Its last position was about 559 km southwest of Kantōon October 1st at 12:00 pm .
Current satellite image of the western Pacific
05.10.2022 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent typhoons in Japan since 2018
Nanmadol: September 12-19, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 248 km/h
on land:
max. 172 km/h
Diameter:
max. 259 km
Air pressure:
below 917 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Affected regions
Kyūshū
Chūgoku
Chūbu
Kyūshū
Chūgoku
Chūbu
Muifa: September 6-16, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 213 km/h
on land:
max. 163 km/h
Diameter:
max. 148 km
Air pressure:
below 942 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Affected regions
Kyūshū
Kyūshū
Hinnamnor: August 28 to September 6, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 256 km/h
Diameter:
max. 93 km
Air pressure:
below 915 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On September 03rd, 2022 at 9:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 58 km west of Ishigaki in Kyūshū.
Mindulle: September 22 to October 2, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 267 km/h
Diameter:
max. 204 km
Eye:
max. 130 km
Air pressure:
below 908 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On October 01st, 2021 at 3:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 241 km southwest of Katsuura in Kantō.
Chanthu: September 6-18, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 274 km/h
on land:
max. 72 km/h
Diameter:
max. 222 km
Eye:
max. 56 km
Air pressure:
below 908 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Affected regions
Kyūshū
Shikoku
Kinki
Chūbu
Kyūshū
Shikoku
Kinki
Chūbu
In Fa: July 16-30, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 176 km/h
on land:
max. 139 km/h
Diameter:
max. 222 km
Air pressure:
below 951 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
Affected regions
Kyūshū
Kyūshū
Surigae: April 13-25, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 306 km/h
Diameter:
max. 296 km
Eye:
max. 167 km
Air pressure:
below 888 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On April 23rd, 2021 at 6:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 378 km southwest of Itoman in Kyūshū.
Dolphin: September 19-29, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 111 km/h
Diameter:
max. 889 km
Air pressure:
below 975 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On September 25th, 2020 at 3:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 118 km west of Hasaki in Kantō.
Haishen: August 30 to September 10, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 250 km/h
on land:
max. 185 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1482 km
Eye:
max. 111 km
Air pressure:
below 910 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Affected regions
Kyūshū
Chūgoku
Kyūshū
Chūgoku
Maysak: August 26 to September 7, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 176 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1111 km
Eye:
max. 148 km
Air pressure:
below 935 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
Affected regions
Kyūshū
Kyūshū
Bavi: August 20-29, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 185 km/h
on land:
max. 102 km/h
Diameter:
max. 667 km
Eye:
max. 111 km
Air pressure:
below 942 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Kyūshū
Kyūshū
Neoguri: October 15-22, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 170 km/h
Diameter:
max. 482 km
Eye:
max. 37 km
Air pressure:
below 967 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 2
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On October 22nd, 2019 at 3:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 214 km south of Shingu in Kinki.
Hagibis: October 4-14, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 296 km/h
on land:
max. 157 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1389 km
Eye:
max. 93 km
Air pressure:
below 896 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Affected regions
Kinki
Chūbu
Kantō
Tōhoku
Kinki
Chūbu
Kantō
Tōhoku
Mitag: September 24 to October 5, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 143 km/h
on land:
max. 139 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1111 km
Eye:
max. 56 km
Air pressure:
below 965 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Affected regions
Kyūshū
Tōhoku
Kyūshū
Tōhoku
Tapah: September 17-23, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 120 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1148 km
Eye:
max. 167 km
Air pressure:
below 970 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Affected regions
Kyūshū
Chūgoku
Tōhoku
Kyūshū
Chūgoku
Tōhoku
Lingling: August 30 to September 12, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 207 km/h
on land:
max. 176 km/h
Diameter:
max. 852 km
Eye:
max. 111 km
Air pressure:
below 935 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Kyūshū
Kyūshū
Bailu: August 19-26, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 106 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1111 km
Air pressure:
below 980 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The typhoon did not make direct landfall. On August 24th, 2019 at 6:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 397 km southeast of Ishigaki in Kyūshū.
Krosa: August 4-17, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 185 km/h
on land:
max. 102 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1759 km
Air pressure:
below 945 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Affected regions
Kyūshū
Shikoku
Chūgoku
Kyūshū
Shikoku
Chūgoku
Lekima: August 2-14, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 217 km/h
on land:
max. 207 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1159 km
Eye:
max. 37 km
Air pressure:
below 918 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Affected regions
Kyūshū
Kyūshū
Danas: July 14-23, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 83 km/h
on land:
max. 78 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1148 km
Air pressure:
below 984 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Kyūshū
Kyūshū
These evaluations are based on data from the National Centers for Environmental Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Individual data have been summarized or translated.
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