Typhoon Dolphin hurtles towards Japan: Tracker, updates and what to expect
The large storm is forecast to cause strong winds and rainfall in parts of Japan, China and Taiwan. Typhoon Dolphin is heading westwards across the
The large storm is forecast to cause strong winds and rainfall in parts of Japan, China and Taiwan. Typhoon Dolphin is heading westwards across the Pacific Ocean towards Japan, and residents of Okinawa Island have been urged to prepare for severe weather before its expected landfall this week. Dolphin has taken a long voyage across the ocean, and as it approaches Japan, here’s what to expect in the coming days. How strong is Typhoon Dolphin? According to Zoom Earth, Dolphin is a “very strong typhoon” that was moving at 185 kilometres per hour (115 miles per hour) at 05:00 GMT on Tuesday. It grew out of a tropical depression that emerged on July 26, moving at 45km/h (30mph) over the open waters of the Central Pacific Ocean as it embarked on a journey of several thousand kilometres across the Pacific. Over the course of its journey, Dolphin strengthened to a tropical storm and then to a severe tropical storm before burgeoning into a typhoon and then a very strong typhoon on July 28. It briefly became even stronger, escalating to the levels of super typhoon and violent typhoon as it continued to move northwest from Wednesday to Saturday before weakening back to a very strong typhoon on Sunday. Where and when will Dolphin make landfall? The typhoon battered the outer Japanese Ogasawara Islands, also called the Bonin Islands – the first part of Japan it reached – with strong winds on Tuesday. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued typhoon warnings and advisories for the islands in advance and is currently tracking Dolphin, which it described as a “large and very strong” storm, as it makes its way from the south.
The typhoon is expected to make landfall on Japan’s Okinawa Island on Friday morning. The island, home to 1.4 million people, is the largest, most populated island in Japan’s Okinawa prefecture, which comprises hundreds of islands. Local governments on the islands have advised residents to secure their homes, stay away from the coast and prepare for possible evacuations and power cuts. Ferry and flight disruptions are expected. Last month, Typhoon Bavi made landfall in China’s eastern province of Zhejiang, also bringing heavy rains to Japan’s Okinawa prefecture. What can we expect from the typhoon through the week? On Tuesday, the typhoon passed the Ogasawara Islands. On Wednesday, high winds will continue over the Ogasawara region. On Thursday, the typhoon will approach the Daito Islands and the Amami Islands. On Friday, it is due to hit Okinawa Island. On Saturday, strong winds and torrential rains are expected to continue.. You can track Typhoon Dolphin on Zoom Earth, an online platform with satellite imagery that shows weather patterns and is particularly useful for tracking storms. Why is this storm called Typhoon Dolphin? The typhoon has been named after Hong Kong’s Chinese white dolphins. Individual hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones are named by the Typhoon Committee at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which maintains premade rotating lists of names. For hurricanes originating in the Atlantic Ocean, these lists comprise typically male or female first names that are easy to remember. The WMO’s lists of names for the western North Pacific’s storms include local animals, plants and cultural items. Dolphin was Hong Kong’s contribution.
The BriefWire