Japan faces more typhoon impacts as Trami approaches, 30W takes aim

Typhoon Trami will be the latest storm this typhoon season to impact Japan, as the Category 3 equivalent typhoon heads for the Ryukyu islands and Okinawa, after which it will hit the Japanese mainland.

Japan has been hit by a number of typhoon and severe weather impacts in recent months, which are set to be followed up now by typhoon Trami and Japan is not free of typhoon worries after that, as the as yet unnamed tropical depression 30W is also taking aim and expected to hit Japan in a week or so’s time as another typhoon.

Typhoon Trami forecast path and tracking map

Typhoon Trami has sustained winds estimated at 105 mph and gusts up to 120 mph as it approaches the Japanese islands, but some strengthening is expected before Trami reaches the Japanese mainland and as a result wind speeds could be a little higher just before landfall and land interaction occur. Currently hurricane speed winds extend outwards up to 80 miles from the center of Trami.

Increased wind shear as typhoon Trami approaches Japan is expected to weaken the storm somewhat, with landfall expected in Honshu in a similar region to that affected by recent typhoon Jebi.

Significant rainfall is expected along the track of typhoon Trami and Accuweather said that including rainfall expected before the storm makes landfall, the forecaster expects rainfall totals from Trami of as much as 16 inches in places.

Storm surge flooding is also a risk along the southern coast of Japan as Trami approaches and makes landfall, with the potential for coastal inundation.

Typhoon Trami is a large and very wide storm which means impacts will be felt far from the center and the flood threat will extend widely in Kyushu, Shikoku and western Honshu as Trami passes through.

Japanese primary insurers have already faced a string of catastrophe and severe weather losses in recent weeks, putting some of their reinsurance programs at heightened risk of being triggered.

Additionally, some international re/insurers will also have been accumulating losses from weather and disaster events in Japan across recent months, suggesting further potential for reinsurance market impacts.

Catastrophe risk modellers said that insurance and reinsurance market losses from typhoon Jebi could reach as much as $5.5 billion.

Additionally, claims paid for the July severe rainfall and flooding in Japan have reached $1.5 billion and the industry impact could extend as high as $3 billion of $4 billion it is expected.

There have also been earthquakes in Hokkaido and Osaka in recent months as well, with the Osaka event already having triggered over $770 million of insurance claims payments.