Severe Thunderstorms Strike Across Japan

Severe thunderstorms raged across Japan on August 28, bringing torrential rain, lightning and hail to Hokkaido. The unstable weather triggered intense downpours and disrupted rail and air travel, leaving some passengers stranded overnight at New Chitose Airport. Special heavy rain warnings were in effect for Ishikawa and Toyama prefectures, where flooding and landslides isolated communities.

A linear rainband dumped extremely heavy rainfall over parts of Hokkaido. Strong lightning flashes illuminated Osaka and other parts of the country. In Tomakomai, roads were flooded, forcing vehicles to navigate deep water. A man crossed a flooded area where the water reached his knees. The city recorded 61.5 millimeters of rain in an hour as localized downpours intensified.

A live camera captured lightning repeatedly lighting up the sky before a bolt struck nearby, sending sparks flying from a utility pole. A tornado was spotted in Hokkaido, with strong winds sweeping through the area and scattering objects across roads. Heavy rain caused a building fire in Hamanaka, with police investigating the possibility that lightning sparked the blaze.

Intense lightning also struck Hakodate, illuminating the night sky nearly as brightly as daylight. Flooding and landslides disrupted transport in Date, where a landslide covered railway tracks near a tunnel entrance, derailing an out-of-service train. Thunderstorms continued around New Chitose Airport, delaying arriving flights and leaving passengers unable to leave the terminal.

One family with children spent the night in the airport due to the delay. Rain continued across Hokkaido on August 28, with hail reported in Hamanaka. Severe weather extended beyond Hokkaido, with a tornado spotted in parts of Hokkaido and a Level 3 heavy rain warning issued for Izumo, Shimane Prefecture. Strong winds from a tornado swept through the area, leaving objects scattered on roads.

Typhoon No. 29, a very strong storm, moved north over waters southeast of Japan, bringing dangerous waves and powerful swells expected along the Pacific coast during the three-day holiday weekend.