Typhoon Ma-On Update #18 (Landfall)

Typhoon Ma-On is now about to make landfall in the Kii Peninsula in Wakayama Prefecture (Honshu). It was last located approximately 120km south southwest of Osaka. Maximum sustained winds are at 120kph gusting to 160kph. Ma-On is moving east northeastward at 15kph.

TY Ma-On's eye brushed the southeastern tip of Kochi late last night. Muroto reported some of the strongest winds equal to typhoon force with gusts of as high as 170kph. Winds are still strong in Shikoku and Honshu, especially near the coast. Latest wind reports range from 30-50kph with occasional gusts of as high as 80kph.

Heavy rain continues to affect large areas in Honshu and some places in Shikoku have reported rainfall amounts in excess of 200mm in some ares (24-hr). The rain spreads as far east as Tokyo and as far north as Southern Tohoku.

Latest Radar for Shikoku and Honshu from JMA

For more Radar images across Japan (from JMA), please clicke HERE

Ma-On will make landfall anytime now near or at Tanabe in Wakayama Prefecture, approximately 100km south of Osaka. It will then continue moving east across Nara and Mie prefectures before exiting out to sea again. It will then pass south of Nagoya Wednesday morning and well south of Tokyo by Thursday morning.

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Issued (21 UTC) 5am PhT 072011