Tropical storm Omais will hit South Korea
On the 23rd of August, Tropical Storm Omais is expected to make landfall in South Korea about 10:00 GMT. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center of the US Navy and Air Force estimates that the storm will make landfall at 32.7 N, 126.5 E. Omais is anticipated to deliver 64 km/h 1-minute maximum sustained winds to the area (40 mph). Wind gusts in the region might be much stronger.
On the morning of August 21, Tropical Storm Omais is moving northwestward in the Philippine Sea. The storm’s center of activity was about 735 km (457 miles) south of Kadena Air Base in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, around 06:00 JST. Weather predictions show that Omais will intensify somewhat as it moves northwest and approaches Miyako Island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, in the afternoon of August 22.
By early August 23, the storm is expected to diminish into a tropical depression as it moves northeastward across the East China Sea into South Gyeongsang Province in South Korea. The path and strength forecasts are still subject to some uncertainties, and adjustments may come in the following days. In the next days, authorities may announce further warnings and watches in response to the evolving situation.
What is expected
Within the next several days, the storm could bring heavy rain and strong waves to Japan’s and South Korea’s coastal districts. Flooding might occur in low-lying settlements close to streams, creeks, and rivers, as well as metropolitan areas with overburdened or non-existent storm water drainage systems. Following fairly brief periods of severe rainfall, areas downstream of big reservoirs may face flash flooding.
In steeply sloping land masses, rain-induced landslides are a possibility. Flooding may cut off some towns from the rest of the world for several days. Flash floods and landslides might be triggered by intense rainfall. Coastal flooding is anticipated as a consequence of the system’s persistent waves and storm surge. Ongoing onshore flow may make it harder for the surge to subside and water levels in coastal drainage basins to decrease.
Aside from the imminent danger to human safety, the storm’s severe weather might cause localized commercial, transportation, and utility interruptions. Floodwaters and debris flows may make certain bridges and highways inaccessible, posing a threat to overland traffic in and around the impacted areas. Flooding on a large scale in metropolitan areas might cause significant traffic jams.
Flight interruptions at smaller airports may be caused by massive rainfall and reduced visibility. Weather-related inconveniences and risks, such as floods, might last for weeks or months after the situation has calmed. Maintenance or restoration activities may aggravate residual interruptions if infrastructure has been severely damaged.
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