Typhoon Talas Heads for Japan

BOSTON, Sept. 2, 2011 – According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Typhoon Talas formed on August 25 as the Japan Meteorological Agency’s (JMA) 12th named storm of the 2011 Northwest Pacific typhoon season. The typhoon is located south of Osaka, Japan, moving 12 km/h in a north-northwest direction. Talas is a large storm, with tropical storm force winds extending up to 650 km from its center. Maximum 10-min sustained wind speeds are 120 km/h (with gusts up to 175 km/h), making it a weak Category 1 hurricane on the…

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Typhoon Muifa Expected to Hit Mainland China This Weekend, After Delivering Heavy

BOSTON, Aug. 5, 2011 – According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Typhoon Muifa is tracking across the Pacific Ocean, en route to mainland China, after delivering heavy rain to the Philippines Tuesday and Wednesday. Muifa is forecast to make landfall south of Shanghai this weekend, bringing high winds and heavy rains. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency’s (JMA) 18:45 UTC advisory, Muifa’s maximum ten-minute sustained winds are 157 km/hr (97 miles per hour), classifying it  as a weak Category 2 storm. Its maximum gusts are higher, at 203 km/h…

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Slow Moving Tropical Storm Ma-On Makes Landfall, Bringing Heavy Rains to Southern Japan

BOSTON, July 20, 2011 – According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Tropical Storm Ma-On made landfall in southern Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku Island late Tuesday night local time. “The sixth named storm of the season and the first to make landfall in Japan this year, Ma-On had maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h at landfall, making it a severe tropical storm on Japan Meteorological Agency’s (JMA) intensity scale,” said Dr. Peter Sousounis, principal scientist at AIR Worldwide. “The storm briefly reintensified to typhoon strength as it swept near southern…

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