Typhoon Maysak makes landfall in South Korea while packing 100-plus-mph winds

After already causing destruction in Japan's Ryukyu Islands, powerful Typhoon Maysak made landfall along the south coast of the Korean Peninsula. Portions of western Japan also continue to feel gusty winds and heavy bands of rain spinning around the periphery of Maysak.

The storm roared ashore early Thursday local time just west-southwest of the metropolis of Busan.

As of Wednesday evening local time, local news in Jeju reports over 20,000 homes were already without power on the Korean island as the center of Maysak passed just to the east. Local news also reports a wind gust of 177 km/h (110 mph) on Jeju Island around 6 PM local time Wednesday.

Thousands have been evacuated along the coast of Gyeongnam, where Maysak is expected to make landfall just after midnight local time Wednesday night. According to Yonhap News in Seoul, 40 scheduled trains on the nation's seven rail lines have been cancelled or partly suspended.

The Korean Meteorological Administration said that Maysak was expected to follow a similar route as Typhoon Maemi in 2003. Maemi left 131 people dead or missing, and caused 4.2 trillion won (US$3.5 billion) in damage.

This region has been no stranger to tropical activity this year. Just a week ago some of the same locations were dealing with Bavi, which strengthened to a typhoon on Aug. 24 just north of the Ryukyu Islands before it navigated into the Yellow Sea and made landfall in North Korea on Aug. 27.

"Maysak has surpassed Bavi and is now the strongest typhoon of the season with sustained winds reported up to 176 km/h (110 mph)," said AccuWeather Lead International Forecaster Jason Nicholls. Bavi's maximum sustained winds were 161 km/h (100 mph).

Typhoon Maysak nearing South Korea as the sun sets Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020. (HIMAWARI-8 at RAMMB/CIRA)

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, a storm of this strength is a very strong typhoon, equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic or East Pacific oceans.

After Maysak became a typhoon Saturday evening, the powerful storm steered toward the island of Okinawa early this week. Maysak's wrath first brought rough seas and wind-swept rain, but it quickly evolved into destructive winds, storm surge and flooding rainfall that lasted into early Wednesday, local time.

The eye of Typhoon Maysak can be seen on radar as the intense cyclone nears landfall Wednesday night, Sept. 2, 2020. (AccuWeather)

The city of Nago on Okinawa reported more than 230 mm (9 inches) of rain on Monday and Tuesday alone. On the southern side of the island, the city of Naha reported winds of 132 km/h (82 mph) Tuesday.

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On Tuesday morning, local time, local news outlets reported that more than 33,000 homes in Okinawa were without electricity due to Maysak. This ferocious storm is also referred to as Julian in the Philippines.

The typhoon also caused the cancellation of more than 100 flights, which according to FlightAware is more than 40% of the island's air traffic. Maysak further disrupted travel in Okinawa by suspending bus operations throughout the day Tuesday.

As Maysak passes western Kyushu of Japan and approaches the southern shores of South Korea, similar, or worse, impacts are expected.

Widespread wind gusts of 64 to 97 km/h (40-60 mph) are expected from Kyushu through the Korean Peninsula and into the Liaoning and Jilin provinces of China.

"A concentrated area from western Kyushu through the southern half of South Korea can expect wind gusts over 128 km/h (80 mph) on Wednesday and Thursday," said Nicholls. An AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 225 km/h (140 mph) for wind gusts is also possible near landfall along the southern coast of South Korea.

The strongest winds will be near the typhoon's center or just to east of the center at the time of landfall.

Coastal flooding and dangerous storm surge will also be a concern for cities like Busan, which are expected to remain east of the typhoon's eye.

Tremendous amounts of rain are also anticipated across the already flood-weary countries of North Korea and South Korea, and while the storm center has still not made landfall, heavy tropical rain has already spread across much of the Korean Peninsula.

Widespread rainfall 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) is forecast for much of the Korean Peninsula, including in Seoul.

Southern and central parts of South Korea are the most likely areas for the AccuWeather Local StormMax™ for rainfall of 300 mm (12 inches).

Beacuse of these anticipated impacts, Maysak is expected to be a 3 on the AccuWeather RealImpact™ Scale for Tropical Cyclones for South Korea. The RealImpact™ Scale is a 6-point scale with ratings of less-than-1 and 1 to 5. Maysak is forecast to be a 2 on the AccuWeather RealImpact™ Scale for Tropical Cyclones in southern Japan.

The current forecasts for Maysak could make the typhoon one for the record books.

In addition to already being the strongest typhoon so far this year, Maysak is forecast to become the fourth named tropical system to make landfall in South Korea in 2020. Should this happen, the four landfalls would tie the record number of landfalls in the country in a single year. A record breaking 5th landfall could also be on the horizon.

Maysak is not alone in the Western Pacific Ocean, as a new tropical system emerged in the basin on Monday. This new system could bring yet another tropical strike to the Korean Peninsula.

What started out as depression late on Monday strengthened into Tropical Storm Haishen on Tuesday evening.

As of Wednesday evening, local time, Haishen was located about 480 km (300 miles) south of Iwo, Japan, and was classified as a Strong Tropical Storm by the Japanese Meteorological Agency, with sustained winds of 93 km/h (58 mph).

AccuWeather meteorologists are also forecasting Haishen to strengthen in the coming days as it continues on a westward to northwestward trajectory throughout the week.

"Just as soon as Maysak takes the title of strongest typhoon in the West Pacific so far this year, it looks like Haishen will come right on it's heels and unseat it, becoming even stronger than Maysak," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Jake Sojda.

"Haishen could follow right behind Maysak and aim for southern Japan and the Korean Peninsula as early as this weekend, bringing a second dose of tropical impacts," Nicholls explained.

Maysak approaching South Korea just before sunset Wednesday while Haishen ramps up right on it's heels. (HIMAWARI-8 at RAMMB/CIRA)

"This has the potential to be particularly devastating for some parts of the Ryukyu Islands and South Korea as two strong typhoons, both the equivalent of major hurricanes in the Atlantic, could strike in almost the same spot in less than a week," Sojda warned.

"Any building or infrastructure that is weakened or only sustains minor damage from Maysak could then be taken out by Haishen. There simply will not be enough time to repair and reinforce things."

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