Dual Storms Converge on Japan
Typhoon Mekkhala and Tropical Storm Higos Converge on Japan with High Winds
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Japan faces a rare dual storm threat as Typhoon Mekkhala and Tropical Storm Higos advance toward the archipelago at the same time. Mekkhala, the seventh typhoon of the year, is moving over the Philippine Sea with wind gusts reaching 198 km/h and a central pressure of 925 hPa — making it the strongest June typhoon in over two decades, according to El Periódico.
Higos, now classified as Tropical Storm No. 8, is tracking on an inner path toward eastern Japan. Both systems are expected to strike the southern coast of Honshu between June 27 and 28. Forecasters warn that the real danger is not a storm merger but an "additive effect" — each system pumping massive rainfall into Japan's already-active rainy-season front, LNE reports.
Mekkhala Reaches Super Typhoon Status Over the Pacific
Mekkhala rapidly intensified on June 23, reaching Category 4 equivalent strength. Its central pressure dropped to 925 hPa, with sustained winds of 50 m/s and gusts up to 70 m/s, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Vietnamese meteorologists called it the most powerful June storm in the northwestern Pacific in 22 years, Levante reports.
By the morning of June 24, Mekkhala began turning north toward the Ryukyu Islands. Its central pressure had risen slightly to 955 hPa. Forecasters project it will pass over Miyakojima and Okinawa on June 25 and 26 before continuing toward the Japanese mainland, Diario de Mallorca reports.
Okinawa and Honshu Brace for Disaster-Level Rainfall
The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued Level 4 and 5 warnings for flooding and landslides across the Pacific coast from western to eastern Japan. Forecasts predict more than 500 mm of rain — roughly 20 inches — between June 24 and June 27 alone. Governor of Okinawa Denny Tamaki has urged residents to prepare emergency bags and review evacuation routes, Diario Córdoba reports.
Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has ordered officials to "spare no effort in emergency disaster response measures." The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo also issued a warning to American citizens about possible stranding due to airport and rail damage. During the earlier Typhoon Jangmi in June, over 524 domestic flights were canceled, according to El Periódico de Aragón.
The Fujiwhara Effect: Why Two Storms Together Are So Dangerous
When two cyclones come close, they can interact in a phenomenon named after Japanese meteorologist Sakuhei Fujiwhara. The storms begin to orbit each other and can even merge. JMA analysts say the current distance between Mekkhala and Higos makes a full merger unlikely. Still, La Provincia notes that experts warn the two systems together will feed far more moisture into Japan's rainy-season front than either would alone.
The 2026 Pacific typhoon season is already historic. By mid-June, twelve tropical cyclones had formed — the most active start since 1976. Meteorologists link the surge to a strong El Niño phase that has pushed sea surface temperatures more than 2°C above normal, Información reports.
Billions in Projects and Crops at Risk Across Kyushu and Beyond
The economic stakes are enormous. Some US$14 billion in active industrial projects in Kyushu alone face logistics delays, with 50 manufacturing projects worth $10.5 billion directly at risk. Agriculture is also vulnerable — prolonged "disaster-level" rainfall threatens rice and fruit crops across the Ryukyu Islands and southern Honshu, El DÃa reports.
Tourism is another casualty. Japan's summer travel industry was already under strain after Typhoon Jangmi struck Wakayama on June 3, injuring 16 people and damaging Himeji Castle. Analysts say repeated major storms are eroding traveller confidence heading into peak summer season, according to La Opinión de Zamora.
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