The most intense storm of 2018 so far, Super Typhoon Jebi, is barrelling its way towards Japan and 20,000 people have been ordered to evacuate. Jebi, a tropical storm with winds of around 260km/h which was upgraded to a super typhoon on Friday, is expected to hit the east coast of Japan by Tuesday (local time). The typhoon is the equivalent of a category 5 hurricane, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Honshu, the largest Japanese island with a population of 100 million, is directly in Jebi's firing line and 20,000 residents across central and northeastern parts of the country have been ordered to evacuate, reports Newsweek. Although forecasters expect the typhoon to have weakened to 160 km/h by the time it reaches land, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Adam Douty said the storm could lead to flooding and severe damage to property. Well-built homes and businesses may sustain major damage, while widespread power outages and water shortages are also anticipated.<doc-sep>Super Typhoon Jebi , a Category 5 storm, is forecast to hit Japan next week. Currently, the storm is spiraling off the coast of Guam, The Weather Channel reported. Jebi was upgraded to a typhoon from a tropical storm this week, as it gained 110 mph of sustained top wind speed within just 48 hours. Because the storm maintains maximum sustained winds of 175 mph and has 20-mile wide eye, Jebi is now considered the most intense tropical cyclone of 2018 thus far. Meanwhile, authorities in Japan ordered the evacuation of more than 20,000 residents in central and northeastern parts of the country on Friday, as heavy rains led to floods and warnings of landslides. The government issued an evacuation order for 7,965 people in the city of Nanao, located in Ishikawa Prefecture, due to the Kumaki River overflowing its banks, The Japan Times reported. In the town of Hodatsushimizu, in the same prefecture, 13,337 residents were ordered to evacuate as well. According to the Asian nation's Meteorological Agency, the storm front is expected to move south through Saturday, hitting Japan's eastern and western regions. Continued flooding and potential landslides have been predicted. Five people were temporarily trapped in the northeastern prefecture of Yamagata after a landslide blocked a road, Japanese newspaper The Mainichi reported. In the same prefecture, the Mogamioguni River flooded past its banks, leading to the collapse of a suspension bridge. Railway operations were also disrupted by the torrential downpour. Transport between Yamagata and Shinjo stations was suspended, as were Thunderbird and Shirasagi limited express trains to and from Kanazawa Station in Ishikawa. Super Typhoon Jebi has become the strongest storm so far this year, sustaining winds of 175 miles per hourhttps://t.co/ojYytPgnmZ — Axios (@axios) August 31, 2018 Although Jebi isn't expected to be nearly as strong when it reaches Japan, it is still predicted to arrive in the country at typhoon intensity on Tuesday. Continuing into Wednesday, the storm will likely sweep north-northeast as far as Hokkaido, becoming a tropical storm. Already on Friday morning, 77 millimeters (3 inches) of rain was recorded within a single hour in the city of Wajima, Ishikawa, Japanese media reported. Fifty-six mm (2.2 in) in Kaneyam, located in Yamagata, were also recorded within an hour. Up to 180 mm (7 in) are expected through Saturday in northeastern and central regions of Japan, with up to 120 mm (4.7 in) in the western part of the country. As Jebi hits Japan early next week, significantly more rainfall flooding, high winds, battering waves and coastal flooding are expected in parts of the country.<doc-sep>Typhoon Jebi: Eye of typhoon heading northwest towards Japan top stories direct to your inbox SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up to receive our rundown of the day'sdirect to your inbox When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. The Pacific Ocean has seen a major tropical storm develop with Jebi threatening to make landfall just one week after Hawaii's hurricane Lane. Hurricane Lane managed to cause significant flooding on the Hawaiian Islands, drenching the territory with more than 50 inches (1,000mm) of rain. It seems like Lane is already being trumped, as Jebi accelerated into the world’s most powerful storm this year as a category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, boasting extreme winds of over 175mph. Currently, Jebi’s winds are hitting 155mph, dipping slightly from its peak. Will Super Typhoon Jebi hit Japan? The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre has stated the extreme winds emanating from hurricane Jebi will make landfall on Japan some time next week. Jebi is set to take a recurving path, meaning rather than a straight-laced track for the coast, it will wheel around. This will take the whirling mass of wind and rain straight into the coast of Japan by Tuesday. Super Typhoon Jebi path update- Will Typhoon Jebi hit Japan? Official projections have Jebi making landfall by Tuesday local time, near Tokushima and Wakayama prefectures. Making a northward movement, the typhoon is set to touch down after a period of weakening. When it makes landfall, the typhoon is going to survive as a category 2 or 3 storm. Despite the downgrade, if Jebi was to touch down with a strength like this Japan will see extreme winds ranging from 96-129 mph. Super Typhoon Jebi's current path Expectations of the hurricane also set it on a path to collide with Japan’s island of Honshu, the largest and most populous, home to the country's largest cities. Osaka and Kyoto are potentially in for the most damage, as the two major Japanese cities could be placed within the storm’s centre. This is where the most severe winds are likely to occur, and they are forecast to extend even into the Tokyo region if Jebi angles northeast. The result of sustained winds with an impact like this would be extremely dangerous, as even well-built homes would suffer major damage, and trees would be uprooted and cast into roads. Super Typhoon Jebi's current location<doc-sep>
Super Typhoon Jebi, a Category 5 storm that's become the world's most powerful in 2018, is threatening Japan early next week, with threats to major cities Kyoto, Kobe, and Tokyo. Japan's main island, Honsho, home to the country's largest cities, is at risk for up to a foot of rain from Typhoon Jebi, according to the forecast updates. "Rainfall flooding, high winds, battering waves and coastal flooding are expected as Jebi pushes ashore around Tuesday, local time," according to The Weather Channel. Typhoon Jebi's path and track update suggests the storm will likely aprroach Japan on Monday or early Tuesday next week, but it won't be at current strength. However, warnings will likely be issued for much of Japan by late this week since Jebi is expected to strike the country at Typhoon strength -- likely category 1 or 2. The latest forecast update for Jebi suggests that typhoon will approach Japan early Tuesday with winds of around 100 miles per hour, according to The Weather Channel. The storm is currently tracking in a northwest pattern but is expected to turn more to the north, heading straight for Japan -- likely making landfall over Honsho. "A southward dip of the jet stream approaching from Manchuria will then accelerate Jebi to the northeast beginning Monday, likely putting the typhoon on a collision course with some part of Japan Monday or Tuesday, local time," weather.com reports. "Jebi, as is virtually always the case, won't be nearly as strong as it currently is by the time it reaches Japan, but it is still expected to be at least of typhoon intensity at landfall Tuesday. It then could sweep north-northeast as far as Hokkaido as a tropical storm into Wednesday." Jebi currently has winds of 155 miles per hour, weakening a bit from its peak of 175 on Friday. It remains a Super Typhoon, however, and is expected to remain at typhoon strength for days, until it passes over Japan. The latest Jebi update from Weather Underground: " Jebi rapidly intensified on Thursday local time atop very warm SSTs of around 29°C (84°F) and deep oceanic heat content (see Figure 3 below), with wind shear on the light side (5 – 10 knots) and very healthy outflow at upper levels. "These conditions will prevail through at least Sunday. The main factor affecting Jebi's strength over the next couple of days will be one or more hard-to-predict eyewall replacement cycles (ERCs), each of which could dent Jebi's intensity slightly for a day or so. One ERC appeared to be already under way on Friday. In addition, Jebi's upper-level outflow may become more constricted by Sunday and Monday."