Volatile Typhoon Khanun No. 6... Will It Pass Through Japan and Head to the East Sea?

'Gang' Kanun moving eastward at a slow pace
May move north to the East Sea if it maintains strength after passing through Japan

Typhoon Khanun, maintaining strong intensity, is moving slowly eastward in the sea west of Okinawa, Japan, with forecasts suggesting it could head toward the East Sea.

According to the typhoon information released by the Korea Meteorological Administration at 10 a.m. on the 4th, Khanun passed 350 km west of Okinawa, Japan, at 9 a.m. that day. The central pressure of the typhoon is 965 hPa (hectopascal), and the maximum sustained wind speed at the center is 37 m/s (133 km/h), classifying its intensity as "strong." Currently, Khanun's movement speed is 5 km/h.

Khanun is expected to remain stationary until around the 5th, then move eastward before turning northward to approach Kyushu from the southeast. It is forecasted that by around 9 a.m. on the 9th, Khanun will reach the sea approximately 140 km east of Kagoshima, Japan.

Photo by Korea Meteorological Administration

However, even if Khanun passes through Japan from north to south while maintaining its strength and moves northward, the Korean Peninsula could also come under its direct influence. In particular, even if Khanun advances to the northern seas of Japan, the southern regions of Korea could enter the area where the rain cloud bands of the typhoon develop most intensely.

Although numerical forecast models vary by country, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) numerical forecast model (GFS) predicts that Khanun will make landfall in Korea after passing Kyushu.

Currently, the North Pacific High is positioned over Korea, making the timing of the interaction between Khanun and the North Pacific High the biggest variable. This interaction timing corresponds to the moment Khanun begins its northward movement.

As Khanun moves eastward, it injects heat into the edge of the North Pacific High, and with additional support from the Tibetan High, the North Pacific High could split into two. Subsequently, if the eastward-moving Khanun encounters the expanded North Pacific High and begins moving northward, it could advance northward into the East Sea.

Khanun is expected to maintain its strength for the time being. Along its path, the sea surface temperature is above 28 degrees Celsius, with a heat capacity exceeding 50 KJ (kilojoules) per 1 cm², which is sufficient for the typhoon to sustain its intensity.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.