Typhoon Mindulle (2016)

Typhoon Mindulle (pronounced [min.dɯl.le]) was a strong tropical cyclone which affected Japan in late August 2016. It was the ninth named storm and the second typhoon of the annual typhoon season in 2016.

This article is about the 2016 typhoon. For other storms of the same name, see Typhoon Mindulle.
Typhoon Mindulle
Typhoon (JMA scale)
Category 1 typhoon (SSHWS)
Typhoon Mindulle over the Greater Tokyo Area on August 22, with Tropical Storm Lionrock to its southwest
FormedAugust 17, 2016
DissipatedAugust 23, 2016
Highest winds10-minute sustained: 120 km/h (75 mph)
1-minute sustained: 120 km/h (75 mph)
Lowest pressure975 hPa (mbar); 28.79 inHg
Fatalities3 total
Damage$448 million (2016 USD)
Areas affectedMariana Islands, Japan
Part of the 2016 Pacific typhoon season

Meteorological history
Map plotting the track and the intensity of the storm, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) indicated that a tropical depression had formed northwest of Guam at noon on August 17.[1] A few hours later, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) quickly issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert and also upgraded the system to a tropical depression with the designation 10W on the same day, based on increased symmetric convection associated with a defined but partially exposed low-level circulation center (LLCC) that was embedded within the southwest monsoon surge.[2][3] One day later, the JTWC upgraded 10W to a tropical storm via the Dvorak technique, with the winds proved by a recent scatterometer pass.[4] The JMA upgraded the system to a tropical storm and named it Mindulle early on August 19, when central convection had become more organized.[5] However, an upper-level low to the north and the predecessor of Tropical Storm Kompasu to the northeast were stifling the development of any poleward outflow.[6]

Moving on the eastern edge of a relatively high-latitude monsoon gyre and being steered by the southern extension of the subtropical ridge anchored east of Japan, the intensification of Mindulle was limited on August 20, owing to modest dry air entrainment resulting in flaring convection near and surrounding the LLCC.[7][8] Although the JMA upgraded Mindulle to a severe tropical storm when it was approximately 380 km (240 mi) northwest of Chichi-jima at around 15:00 JST (06:00 UTC) on August 21, outflow from Tropical Storm Lionrock to the west was inhibiting further development and causing a partially exposed LLCC with deep convection displaced southward, as the distance between their centers was only about 600 km (370 mi) at that time.[9][10] With warm sea surface temperatures of between 30 to 31 °C (86 to 88 °F), good equatorward and poleward outflow channels, as well as low vertical wind shear, the JMA upgraded Mindulle to a typhoon at around 03:00 JST on August 22 (18:00 UTC on August 21), when the center was located only about 40 km (25 mi) east of Hachijō-jima.[11][12] At around 12:30 JST (03:30 UTC), Mindulle made landfall over the area near Tateyama, Chiba.[13]

Preparations and impact
USS Chancellorsville was departing from Yokosuka on August 21 in advanced of Typhoon Mindulle

While Mindulle was in its developmental stages, the Guam National Weather Service office issued a tropical storm watch for Tinian and Saipan. On the islands, the storm produced gusty winds and showers.[14]

Across the Kantō Plain, about 850,000 people were ordered to evacuate.[14] In Kanagawa and Tokyo prefectures, officials issued landslide watches.[15] On Hokkaido, more than 2,700 people evacuated due to Mindulle.[16] Ahead of the storm, Narita International Airport – Tokyo's main airport – was closed, causing 425 flights to be canceled, affecting tens of thousands of travelers.[17][15] Hundreds of Japan Railway trains were also canceled.[15] American military bases in Japan were set at Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness (TCCOR) 1, and non-essential people were directed to stay in their lodgings after most services were shut down.[14]

The third storm to strike Japan within a week, Mindulle dropped heavy rainfall on Honshū, where the soil was saturated due to rainfall dropped by the earlier tropical storms Chanthu and Kompasu.[17] Ōme, Tokyo recorded nearly 268 mm (10.6 in) of rainfall.[14] The offshore islands of Hachijō-jima and Izu Ōshima both reported 86 mm (3.4 in) of precipitation in just one hour, which is about half the average August rainfall for both locations.[17] Shizuoka recorded nearly 360 mm (14 in) of rainfall. In the capital city Tokyo, Mindulle dropped 105 mm (4.1 in) of rainfall, which is 66% of the average August rainfall. Narita Airport recorded winds of 126 km/h (78 mph), which forced air traffic controllers to evacuate the control tower.[17] This was the first time the tower was evacuated due to a typhoon, and only the second time in its history after the 2011 Japan earthquake.[15] The island of Miyake-jima recorded winds of 150 km/h (93 mph), and Yokosuka Naval Base recorded winds of 58 mph (93 km/h), which restricted outdoor activity.[15]

Floods from Mindulle's heavy rainfall submerged a tunnel along the Chūō Expressway in Tokyo. Portions of Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Yokota Air Base, and Camp Zama were flooded, with runways submerged.[14][15] At Yokota Air Base, the floods cut off power to five housing towers, forcing the occupants to evacuate.[18] Floodwaters covered roads and damaged homes in Hokkaido,[16] and a man drowned in Kitami,[19] days after floods from Kompasu also killed a man on Hokkaido. A woman in Sagamihara outside Tokyo also drowned during the storm. Nationwide, Mindulle's effects injured 61 people.[16] Across southeastern Honshu, 15 rivers flooded, and a train line was washed out in western Tokyo, forcing a train of commuters to evacuate.[15] High winds knocked a tree onto a central Tokyo train station, which suspended service on the Tokyo Loop Line.[16] Fallen power lines left over 100,000 people without power, mostly in Chiba Prefecture.[15]

Total financial loss in Japan, along with Tropical Storm Kompasu, were counted to be ¥45 billion (US$448 million).[20]

See also

References
  1. "Marine Weather Warning for GMDSS Metarea XI 2016-08-17T12:00:00Z". WIS Portal – GISC Tokyo. Japan Meteorological Agency. August 17, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  2. "Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. August 17, 2016. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  3. "Prognostic Reasoning for Tropical Depression 10W (Ten) Warning Nr 01". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. August 17, 2016. Archived from the original on August 18, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  4. "Prognostic Reasoning for Tropical Storm 10W (Ten) Warning Nr 05". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. August 18, 2016. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  5. "RSMC Tropical Cyclone Advisory 190600". Japan Meteorological Agency. August 19, 2016. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  6. "Prognostic Reasoning for Tropical Storm 10W (Mindulle) Warning Nr 07". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. August 19, 2016. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  7. "Prognostic Reasoning for Tropical Storm 10W (Mindulle) Warning Nr 11". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. August 20, 2016. Archived from the original on August 20, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  8. "Prognostic Reasoning for Tropical Storm 10W (Mindulle) Warning Nr 13". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. August 20, 2016. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  9. "RSMC Tropical Cyclone Advisory 210600". Japan Meteorological Agency. August 21, 2016. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  10. "Prognostic Reasoning for Tropical Storm 10W (Mindulle) Warning Nr 15". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. August 21, 2016. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  11. "Prognostic Reasoning for Tropical Storm 10W (Mindulle) Warning Nr 17". Joint Typhoon Warning Center. August 21, 2016. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  12. "RSMC Tropical Cyclone Advisory 211800". Japan Meteorological Agency. August 21, 2016. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  13. "平成２８年　台風第９号に関する情報　第３７号" (in Japanese). Japan Meteorological Agency. August 22, 2016. Archived from the original on August 22, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  14. Dave Ornauer (August 2016). "Tropical Depression 10W (Mindulle), #22 (Final)". Storm Tracker. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  15. Dave Ornauer. "Storm locks down US military bases in Japan". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  16. "Typhoon dumps heavy rain on northern Japan". Saudi Gazette. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  17. Steff Gaulter (August 28, 2016). "Multiple storms batter Japan". Gulf Times. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  18. Aaron Kidd (August 23, 2016). "Floods, power outage force some Yokota residents to evacuate". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on September 21, 2016. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  19. Ben Westcott; Rachel Aissen (August 21, 2016). "Tropical storm Mindulle threatens Japan". CNN. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  20. "平成28年台風11号、台風9号の連続上陸による大雨災害" (in Japanese). Hokkaido Disaster Prevention Information. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
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