Quick-hitting storm may cause flash flooding across parts of Japan

A storm system will race across Japan this weekend and bring rounds of heavy rain to much of the country, including Tokyo.

On Saturday, a storm system moved out over the East China Sea. Once over water, the storm was able to pull in more moisture and strengthen.

By Saturday night, areas of heavy rain and thunderstorms developed across the Kyushu and Chugoku regions before spreading into the Kansai, Chubu and Kanto on Sunday.

Once the storm system moves off the coast of Japan and over the Pacific Ocean by Sunday evening, the heaviest rain will begin to taper off.

This storm will be a quick-hitter, bringing rainfall to the region for only 24 to 36 hours, but it can still bring rainfall totals of 25-50 mm (1-2 inches) to southern Japan.

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Along the southern coast, gusty onshore winds can force moisture up into the mountains, causing heavier downpours in these areas. Rainfall totals can reach 50-100 mm (2-4 inches).

Even high totals are expected in the rugged terrain of Kyushu where 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) of rain is expected with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 250 mm (10 inches) possible in the highest peaks.

This amount of rainfall can lead to flash flooding, especially in low-lying and poor drainage locations. It can also increase the risk of mudslides in the rugged terrain.

On Saturday morning, local time, evacuation orders were issued for residents in Kurume City in the Fukuoka prefecture as the river that runs through the city rose to dangerous levels and landslides threatened the area, according to NHK.

Earlier in the week, tens o thousands of residents in nearby Nagasaki prefecture were forced to evacuate.

This will not be the last round of heavy rainfall for Japan. Another storm is expected to follow quickly behind the first into the beginning of next week.

The system is forecast to follow a similar path, bringing another round of heavy rain to parts of southern Japan, which will continue to increase the risk for flooding and mudslides across the region.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.

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