Severe Tropical Storm “Maria” to make landfall in Japan’s Miyagi Prefecture on August 12, 2024
Image credit: JMA/Himawari-9, RAMMB/CIRA, The Watchers. Acquired at 06:30 UTC on August 11, 2024
Severe Tropical Storm “Maria” is set to make landfall in Miyagi Prefecture on August 12, 2024, making it only the second recorded cyclone to strike the region since 1951, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Maria is the 5th named storm of the 2024 Pacific typhoon season.
Severe Tropical Storm “Maria” is expected to make landfall in Japan’s Miyagi Prefecture on the morning of August 12, 2024, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
Upon landfall, Maria would be the second cyclone to make landfall in Miyagi Prefecture since records began in 1951, the first being Cyclone “Nepartak” — which made landfall there in 2021.
The JMA forecasts landfall to occur at around 00:00 UTC on August 12, with maximum gust speeds of 35 m/s (126 km/h or 78 mph) and maximum wind speeds near the center predicted to be around 25 m/s (90 km/h or 56 mph), while the central pressure is expected to be around 980 hPa.
According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), Maria is expected to weaken as it approaches the northeast coast of Honshu over the next 12 hours, with landfall expected around 03:00 UTC on August 12. Maximum 1-minute sustained winds at the time are forecast to be 85 km/h (52 mph) with gusts to 102 km/h (65 mph).
“However, the system has remained resilient and may intensify slightly in the near term,” JTWC forecasters said. After making landfall, Maria will weaken rapidly over the Japan Alps with dissipation anticipated by 15:00 UTC on August 14.
The JMA reported the formation of a tropical depression on August 5, which the JTWC began tracking later that day. The depression was located 681 km (423 miles) north-northwest of Iwo Jima and was situated in a favorable environment with low to moderate wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures. The JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) by August 6, with the system officially designated as 06W.
As the system intensified, it developed a central dense overcast and a ragged eye feature and was named Tropical Storm “Maria” by the JMA on August 7.
Maria continued to evolve, turning northeastward under the influence of a subtropical ridge, and intensified into a severe tropical storm by August 8, characterized by improved structural organization and strong outflow patterns.
However, by August 9, Maria’s wind field became more asymmetric, and its associated convection shifted northward, resulting in a temporary weakening to a tropical storm.
Satellite imagery indicated that convection was wrapping around the low-level circulation center, and a partial eyewall began to form in the western semicircle.
References:
1 STS Maria – JMA – August 11, 2024
2 Tropical Storm 06W (Maria) – JTWC – Warning #19 Issued at 11/1500Z
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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