Last week ex-typhoon Kong-Rey became the ninth tropical system to hit Japan this year. Despite its category 5 status downgrading to tropical storm intensity before landfall, it produced damaging winds, storm surges, torrential rain and flooding across many parts of Japan and South Korea. Tracking across Japan’s southern islands, it reached South Korea on Saturday, before moving north-eastwards over northern Japan on Sunday. Sustained winds of 115mph (185km/hour) and wind gusts reaching 143mph were recorded, while dumping up to 75mm (3in) of rain an hour. The warm air associated with it exceeded Japan’s highest October temperature record, reaching 36C (96.8F) in Sanjo, Niigata Prefecture.
Ex-hurricane Rosa made landfall in north-west Mexico on Monday last week, causing flooding there before bringing torrential downpours to the south-western US. It produced the wettest October day on record for Phoenix, Arizona, with 60cm of rain falling in 24 hours, causing flooding and leaving people trapped in vehicles. It is unusual for Pacific hurricanes and their remnants to reach such high latitudes.
Meanwhile, drought-stricken parts of eastern Australia received much-needed heavy downpours throughout last week, triggered by a trough of low pressure that sat over New South Wales. Some towns received more rain in 24 hours than they have all year; the village of Pooncarrie recorded 53mm last Wednesday.
