βπ Japan’s Got Wet Shoes: Tropical Storm Mawar Brings the Rain Game to a Whole New Level πβ
TL;DR;
Japan’s seeing a little more than its fair share of rain showers, thanks to Tropical Storm Mawar π
. The storm’s cranking up the rain power, putting the South and West of Japan on their toes for potential floods and mudslides. All the while, Mawar’s been pulling some sick moves, making waves from Guam to the Philippines to Taiwan. Buckle up, folks, it’s gonna be a wet ride. π
Japan woke up to an unexpected guest on Friday β Tropical Storm Mawar. This water-happy party crasher didn’t just bring rain, it brought a downright monsoon π§οΈ, halting trains, transit, and probably a few outdoor barbecues.
This level of wetness led to warnings being issued across western and central Japan. You thought a foot of rain was bad? Try 1.1 feet of it in 24 hours! π² Residents in areas like Wakayama, Kochi, and Nagano were told to possibly think about finding a safer location because of potential flooding and mudslides. But you didn’t hear it from me.
Picture this. Rivers in Wakayama turning into brown water freeways, reaching the bottoms of bridges. Tokyo streets so rainy, umbrellas seemed more like decoration than protection. Even Shinkansen super-express trains had to hit the brakes between Tokyo and Okayama because the weather just couldn’t keep it together. π π
And guess what? Mawar was still lounging around offshore in the Pacific Ocean, making its presence felt with winds strong enough to cause injuries as far as Okinawa. Sounds fun, right? Think again. One woman suffered a serious head injury in Nishihara city because of it. The tropical storm was clocked at wind speeds of up to 51 mph. Talk about an overachiever! ππ¨
The tropical storm’s best party trick? Supercharging seasonal rains. Apparently, the warm, damp air from Mawar is doing something science-y to create a heavy rain belt hovering over the islands.
Before gracing Japan with its presence, Mawar had a field day in Taiwan and the Philippines. Oh, and let’s not forget about Guam. Mawar was the strongest typhoon to hit the island in over two decades! By midweek, only 28% of power had been restored there. Officials estimate it’ll take about four to six weeks before power is fully back. Sorry, Netflix bingers. πΊπ
DISCLAIMER: Turnt Up News does not provide weather forecasts, evacuation advice or power restoration estimates. Please follow local authorities for all weather-related advisories.
To wrap it up, we’ve got one big question for you: With these supercharged tropical storms becoming more common, how should we prepare for this new normal? Is it time to start investing in giant inflatable rafts, or perhaps even an ark?π€π