The Kamikaze Scenario

[Cyclone Runner]

The history of kamikaze goes back to the 13th century, when the combined Chinese and Korean forces of Kublai Khan's invading fleet were sunk off of Kyushu, Japan by a super typhoon supposedly sent from the gods (kamikaze translates into "divine wind"). But for this storm, Kublai Khan would likely have conquered Japan. Archaelogical investigations have actually recovered much of the fleet verifying the story. This is the only time between 500 AD and WWII that a major foreign power had almost overrun Japan. Japan would remain unconquered until WWII.

Another classic kamikaze weather scenario is now shaping up with Twin Typhoons Aere and Chaba. With both systems forecast to impact Southern Japan, authorities are taking all precautions. The problem is that Southern Japan including Shikoku, Kyushu and Southern Honshu are already water-logged from recent typhoons. Even the recent passage of Tropical Storm Megi to the south brought dramatic flooding which killed several people. So now with Aere threatening to become a Super-Typhoon and Chaba growing very strong as well, Japan is under the gun. Hopefully a scenario can emerge bring both storms off the east coast, but it doesn't look likely as Chaba would block Aere's ability to move too much east.



Typhoon Watches remain in effect for Guam and the Northern Marianas.

Kevin Vang
APCEDI Coordinator

http://www.afap.org/apcedi
http://www.afap.org/
http://www.birdquest.net/

[Guest]

that scenario is looking bad for Japan, Aere is only supposed to strengthn till it hits them. Winds of 145mph about a day before it hits (it looks about a day before) can't weaken all that much. Hopefully Chaba and Aere miss.

[Aslkahuna]

The very latest from JTWC has Chaba recurving east of the Japanese Home Islands. Actually, had those two storms converged on a course like that, something else would have happened first-the Fujiwhara Effect since both storms would have then been close enough to engage in binary rotation.

Steve