Typhoon Conson (2004)
Encyclopedia
Typhoon Conson was the first of the record ten typhoons to impact Japan during the 2004 Pacific typhoon season
. Developing out of a tropical depression near the northern Philippines
in early June, Conson slowly traveled towards the north. Gradually strengthening, the storm reached typhoon status late on June 7 according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
and several hours later according to the Japan Meteorological Agency
. After turning towards the northeast, the typhoon brushed Taiwan
and reached its peak intensity with winds of 150 km/h (90 mph 10-minute winds) on June 9. After reaching its peak, Conson gradually weakened, passing through Okinawa before being downgraded to a tropical storm the next day. On June 11, the storm made landfall as a minimal tropical storm in the Kōchi Prefecture
just before becoming extratropical
. The extratropical remnants continued towards the northeast and were last mentioned on June 14 crossing the international date line
.
Typhoon Conson brought heavy rains and high winds to the Philippines, Taiwan, Okinawa, and Japan. Flooding in the Philippines killed two people and caused about PHP
1.6 million ($35,000 USD
) in damages. However, some reports state that up to 30 people died in the Philippines. In the Ryukyu Islands
, the storm brought heavy rains and high winds to several islands, damaging crops and leaving many without power. As it became extratropical, Conson caused moderate damage in southern Japan, including a few landslides which prompted evacuations. Throughout Japan, losses reached 355.7 million yen ($3.8 million USD).
(JTWC) began monitoring an area of low pressure
associated with deep convection
about 780 km (485 mi) south-southeast of Hong Kong. Later that day, following notable development, they classified the system as Tropical Depression 07W. At the same time, the Japan Meteorological Agency
(JMA) also began monitoring the system as a tropical depression. Slowly moving towards the southeast, 07W gradually strengthened, being classified a tropical storm by the JTWC at 1200 UTC
the next day. Around the same time, the storm entered the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
's area of responsibility and was given the local name Frank. Twenty-four hours later, 07W made its closest approach to the Philippines
, passing within 295 km (185 mi) of Manila
. A few hours later, the JMA upgraded the depression to a tropical storm and gave it the name Conson; a name contributed by Vietnam
that is a picturesque place in the country, consisting of a mountain, pine forest, streams, pagodas and many historical monuments.
A ridge
located over the central Philippines caused Conson to turn towards the north. Continuing to intensify, the JTWC assessed the storm to have reached typhoon status at 1800 UTC on June 7. The JMA also upgraded the storm to a typhoon about twelve hours later. A 28 km (17 mi) wide eye
developed as the cyclone turned towards the northeast. Originally, forecasts showed the typhoon making landfall in southern Taiwan
but the turn towards the northeast spared the island from a direct hit. Shortly after being classified as a typhoon by the JMA, the JTWC upgraded Conson to a Category 2 typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
with winds of 155 km/h (100 mph 1-minute winds). The eye later became slightly disorganized and the cloud tops around the center warmed. However, the storm reorganized the next day and was upgraded to a Category 3 typhoon by the JTWC with winds of 185 km/h (115 mph 1-minute winds). The intensification was the result of the influence of an approaching shortwave trough
which enhanced poleward outflow
. Around this time, PAGASA issued their final advisory on Typhoon 'Frank' as it moved out of their area of responsibility.
The strengthening was the result of Conson passing over the warm waters of the Kuroshio Current. The forward motion on the typhoon also began to increase as it interacted with a baroclinic zone. Shortly after, the JMA assessed the storm to have reached its peak intensity with winds of 150 km/h (90 mph 10-minute winds) and a minimum pressure of 960 hPa
(mbar
). Later that day, the storm passed over Okinawa as it weakened. By June 10, Conson began to undergo an extratropical transition
. Continuing increase in forward speed caused the low to become exposed from shower and thunderstorm activity on the southern edge of the circulation. Around 1200 UTC, the center of circulation became separated from deep convection, leading to the typhoon being downgraded to a tropical storm by both agencies several hours later. Early on June 11, the JTWC reported that the storm had completed its extratropical transition just south of Japan. However, the JMA kept Conson has a tropical cyclone through its landfall in Kōchi Prefecture
as a minimal tropical storm. Shortly after landfall, it was classified as an extratropical cyclone. Continuing towards the northeast, the storm remained weak and was last mentioned as it crossed the international date line
on June 14 near the Aleutian Islands.
The Japan Meteorological Agency
uses 10-minute sustained winds, while the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
uses 1-minute sustained winds. The conversion factor between the two is 1.14x. JMA's peak intensity for Conson was 150 km/h (90 mph) 10-minute sustained, or 160 km/h (105 mph) 1-minute sustained. The JTWC's peak intensity for Conson was 185 km/h (115 mph) 1-minute sustained, or 155 km/h (100 mph) 10-minute sustained. The National Meteorological Center of China
estimated a peak intensity of 150 km/h (90 mph) 10-minute sustained, or 160 km/h (105 mph) 1-minute sustained. The Hong Kong Observatory
assessed Conson to be slightly weaker than other agencies, with peak winds estimated at 130 km/h (80 mph) 10-minute sustained, or 150 km/h (90 mph) 1-minute sustained.
raised Public Storm Signal No. 1 for most of Luzon
. As Conson strengthened into a typhoon, northern areas of Luzon were placed under Public Storm Signal No. 3, resulting in school closures. As the typhoon passed by the Philippines, it dropped heavy rains, peaking at 333.8 mm (13.1 in) in Iba
. The highest 24 hour rainfall was recorded in Subic Bay
at 230 mm (9 in). Minor flooding and power outages were reported in Manila
. These heavy rains led to flooding which reportedly killed 30 people in Luzon. However, the fatalities are uncertain as PAGASA reported that two people were killed by the storm. In all, Conson caused about PHP
1.6 million ($35,000 USD
) in damage.
were suspended on June 9 and 10 as Typhoon Conson passed by. Some domestic flights were cancelled and rail and ferry services were suspended ahead of the storm. When Conson was first classified, Hong Kong was placed under a standby signal as the storm was located within 800 km (500 mi) of the city Only a few showers were reported in the city due to the storm. Taiwanese officials checked water gates throughout the island on June 8 and found that 68 were missing. Water management officials stated that the missing gates could "...wreak unnecessary damage...". The following day, 42 of the missing gates had been replaced. Fishing boats returned to port for shelter during the storm. An emergency operations center was set up to carry out search and rescue missions during and following the typhoon. Heavy rains from the typhoon peaked at 262.5 mm (10.3 in) in Yilan County. The storm caused minor damage and one minor injury during as it passed by Taiwan. Although Conson dropped heavy rains across the island, it was not enough to alleviate drought conditions in the southern areas.
warned residents about the threat of heavy rains and high winds resulting from the storm. A United States naval base located in Okinawa was placed under a Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness (TCCR) Four as Typhoon Conson was approaching. As the storm neared the islands, the naval base was put under TCCR Three, indicating that winds of 92 km/h (57 mph) were anticipated within 48 hours. Ahead of the storm, upwards of 254 mm (10 in) fell across the islands, which were indirectly related to the storm. In southern Japan, several airlines canceled flights due to poor weather conditions.
Heavy rains, peaking at 345 mm (13.5 in) on Tarama
, triggered flooding and landslides throughout the islands. The highest sustained winds on the islands were also recorded on Tarama at 137 km/h (85 mph) and the highest gust was recorded on Miyako-jima
at 185 km/h (115 mph). Despite transitioning into an extratropical cyclone
while impacting Japan, Conson brought heavy rains and high winds to Kyūshū
. The highest rainfall and gusts were recorded in Tanegashima
at 277.5 mm (10.9 in) and 146 km/h (91 mph) respectively; the highest sustained wind was recorded in Muroto, Kōchi
at 109 km/h (68 mph).
On Ishigaki Island, high winds and heavy rains cut power to many residences and damaged crops. A total of 1960 ha (4,843.3 acre) of agricultural land was damaged by the storm, leaving 31.9 million yen ($346,000 USD) in losses. Significant agricultural damage was also sustained on Miyako-jima, leaving 76.5 million yen ($805,000 USD) in losses. Okinawa sustained moderate damage during the passage of Conson, with several homes flooded and large lengths of power lines were lost. At the height of the storm, roughly 3,300 residences were without power and 1,305 power lines were downed. Additionally, 1685 ha (4,163.7 acre) of agricultural land was damaged, leaving 32.3 million yen ($350,000 USD) in losses.
In Kagoshima Prefecture
, Conson damaged 1846 ha (4,561.6 acre) of agricultural land and flooded six homes. Agricultural and property damage in the prefecture amounted to 100 million yen ($1 million USD) and 115 million yen ($1.2 million USD) respectively. A large landslide, roughly 30 m (98.4 ft) wide, in Matsuyama, Ehime
prompted the evacuation of 19 homes; however, no known damage resulted from the incident. Throughout Kōchi Prefecture
, several highways were shut down after being damaged by Conson. Over 20 schools were let out early due to the deteriorating conditions.
2004 Pacific typhoon season
The 2004 Pacific typhoon season has no official bounds; it ran year-round in 2004, but most tropical cyclones tend to form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean between May and November...
. Developing out of a tropical depression near the northern Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
in early June, Conson slowly traveled towards the north. Gradually strengthening, the storm reached typhoon status late on June 7 according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
and several hours later according to the Japan Meteorological Agency
Japan Meteorological Agency
The or JMA, is the Japanese government's weather service. Charged with gathering and reporting weather data and forecasts in Japan, it is a semi-autonomous part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport...
. After turning towards the northeast, the typhoon brushed Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and reached its peak intensity with winds of 150 km/h (90 mph 10-minute winds) on June 9. After reaching its peak, Conson gradually weakened, passing through Okinawa before being downgraded to a tropical storm the next day. On June 11, the storm made landfall as a minimal tropical storm in the Kōchi Prefecture
Kochi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku. The capital is the city of Kōchi.- History :Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Kōchi was known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chosokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi family during the Edo period.- Geography...
just before becoming extratropical
Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
. The extratropical remnants continued towards the northeast and were last mentioned on June 14 crossing the international date line
International Date Line
The International Date Line is a generally north-south imaginary line on the surface of the Earth, passing through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, that designates the place where each calendar day begins...
.
Typhoon Conson brought heavy rains and high winds to the Philippines, Taiwan, Okinawa, and Japan. Flooding in the Philippines killed two people and caused about PHP
Philippine peso
The peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
1.6 million ($35,000 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
) in damages. However, some reports state that up to 30 people died in the Philippines. In the Ryukyu Islands
Ryukyu Islands
The , also known as the , is a chain of islands in the western Pacific, on the eastern limit of the East China Sea and to the southwest of the island of Kyushu in Japan. From about 1829 until the mid 20th century, they were alternately called Luchu, Loochoo, or Lewchew, akin to the Mandarin...
, the storm brought heavy rains and high winds to several islands, damaging crops and leaving many without power. As it became extratropical, Conson caused moderate damage in southern Japan, including a few landslides which prompted evacuations. Throughout Japan, losses reached 355.7 million yen ($3.8 million USD).
Meteorological history
Early on June 4, the Joint Typhoon Warning CenterJoint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
(JTWC) began monitoring an area of low pressure
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
associated with deep convection
Atmospheric convection
Atmospheric convection is the result of a parcel-environment instability, or temperature difference, layer in the atmosphere. Different lapse rates within dry and moist air lead to instability. Mixing of air during the day which expands the height of the planetary boundary layer leads to...
about 780 km (485 mi) south-southeast of Hong Kong. Later that day, following notable development, they classified the system as Tropical Depression 07W. At the same time, the Japan Meteorological Agency
Japan Meteorological Agency
The or JMA, is the Japanese government's weather service. Charged with gathering and reporting weather data and forecasts in Japan, it is a semi-autonomous part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport...
(JMA) also began monitoring the system as a tropical depression. Slowly moving towards the southeast, 07W gradually strengthened, being classified a tropical storm by the JTWC at 1200 UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
the next day. Around the same time, the storm entered the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration is a Philippine national institution dedicated to provide flood and typhoon warnings, public weather forecasts and advisories, meteorological, astronomical, climatological, and other specialized information and...
's area of responsibility and was given the local name Frank. Twenty-four hours later, 07W made its closest approach to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, passing within 295 km (185 mi) of Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. A few hours later, the JMA upgraded the depression to a tropical storm and gave it the name Conson; a name contributed by Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
that is a picturesque place in the country, consisting of a mountain, pine forest, streams, pagodas and many historical monuments.
A ridge
Ridge (meteorology)
A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....
located over the central Philippines caused Conson to turn towards the north. Continuing to intensify, the JTWC assessed the storm to have reached typhoon status at 1800 UTC on June 7. The JMA also upgraded the storm to a typhoon about twelve hours later. A 28 km (17 mi) wide eye
Eye (cyclone)
The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area and typically 30–65 km in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the second most severe weather of a cyclone...
developed as the cyclone turned towards the northeast. Originally, forecasts showed the typhoon making landfall in southern Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
but the turn towards the northeast spared the island from a direct hit. Shortly after being classified as a typhoon by the JMA, the JTWC upgraded Conson to a Category 2 typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
with winds of 155 km/h (100 mph 1-minute winds). The eye later became slightly disorganized and the cloud tops around the center warmed. However, the storm reorganized the next day and was upgraded to a Category 3 typhoon by the JTWC with winds of 185 km/h (115 mph 1-minute winds). The intensification was the result of the influence of an approaching shortwave trough
Trough (meteorology)
A trough is an elongated region of relatively low atmospheric pressure, often associated with fronts.Unlike fronts, there is not a universal symbol for a trough on a weather chart. The weather charts in some countries or regions mark troughs by a line. In the United States, a trough may be marked...
which enhanced poleward outflow
Outflow (meteorology)
Outflow, in meteorology, is air that flows outwards from a storm system. It is associated with ridging, or anticyclonic flow. In the low levels of the troposphere, outflow radiates from thunderstorms in the form of a wedge of rain-cooled air, which is visible as a thin rope-like cloud on weather...
. Around this time, PAGASA issued their final advisory on Typhoon 'Frank' as it moved out of their area of responsibility.
The strengthening was the result of Conson passing over the warm waters of the Kuroshio Current. The forward motion on the typhoon also began to increase as it interacted with a baroclinic zone. Shortly after, the JMA assessed the storm to have reached its peak intensity with winds of 150 km/h (90 mph 10-minute winds) and a minimum pressure of 960 hPa
Pascal (unit)
The pascal is the SI derived unit of pressure, internal pressure, stress, Young's modulus and tensile strength, named after the French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and philosopher Blaise Pascal. It is a measure of force per unit area, defined as one newton per square metre...
(mbar
Bar (unit)
The bar is a unit of pressure equal to 100 kilopascals, and roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea level. Other units derived from the bar are the megabar , kilobar , decibar , centibar , and millibar...
). Later that day, the storm passed over Okinawa as it weakened. By June 10, Conson began to undergo an extratropical transition
Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
. Continuing increase in forward speed caused the low to become exposed from shower and thunderstorm activity on the southern edge of the circulation. Around 1200 UTC, the center of circulation became separated from deep convection, leading to the typhoon being downgraded to a tropical storm by both agencies several hours later. Early on June 11, the JTWC reported that the storm had completed its extratropical transition just south of Japan. However, the JMA kept Conson has a tropical cyclone through its landfall in Kōchi Prefecture
Kochi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku. The capital is the city of Kōchi.- History :Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Kōchi was known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chosokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi family during the Edo period.- Geography...
as a minimal tropical storm. Shortly after landfall, it was classified as an extratropical cyclone. Continuing towards the northeast, the storm remained weak and was last mentioned as it crossed the international date line
International Date Line
The International Date Line is a generally north-south imaginary line on the surface of the Earth, passing through the middle of the Pacific Ocean, that designates the place where each calendar day begins...
on June 14 near the Aleutian Islands.
The Japan Meteorological Agency
Japan Meteorological Agency
The or JMA, is the Japanese government's weather service. Charged with gathering and reporting weather data and forecasts in Japan, it is a semi-autonomous part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport...
uses 10-minute sustained winds, while the Joint Typhoon Warning Center
Joint Typhoon Warning Center
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force task force located at the Naval Maritime Forecast Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii...
uses 1-minute sustained winds. The conversion factor between the two is 1.14x. JMA's peak intensity for Conson was 150 km/h (90 mph) 10-minute sustained, or 160 km/h (105 mph) 1-minute sustained. The JTWC's peak intensity for Conson was 185 km/h (115 mph) 1-minute sustained, or 155 km/h (100 mph) 10-minute sustained. The National Meteorological Center of China
China Meteorological Administration
The China Meteorological Administration , headquartered in Beijing, is the national weather service for the People's Republic of China.-History:...
estimated a peak intensity of 150 km/h (90 mph) 10-minute sustained, or 160 km/h (105 mph) 1-minute sustained. The Hong Kong Observatory
Hong Kong Observatory
Hong Kong Observatory is a department of the Hong Kong government. The Observatory forecasts weather and issues warnings on weather-related hazards...
assessed Conson to be slightly weaker than other agencies, with peak winds estimated at 130 km/h (80 mph) 10-minute sustained, or 150 km/h (90 mph) 1-minute sustained.
Preparations and impact
Philippines
On June 7, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services AdministrationPhilippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration is a Philippine national institution dedicated to provide flood and typhoon warnings, public weather forecasts and advisories, meteorological, astronomical, climatological, and other specialized information and...
raised Public Storm Signal No. 1 for most of Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
. As Conson strengthened into a typhoon, northern areas of Luzon were placed under Public Storm Signal No. 3, resulting in school closures. As the typhoon passed by the Philippines, it dropped heavy rains, peaking at 333.8 mm (13.1 in) in Iba
Iba, Zambales
Iba is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. It is the capital municipality of Zambales. According to the latest census, it has a population of 44,344 people in 7,260 households....
. The highest 24 hour rainfall was recorded in Subic Bay
Subic Bay
Subic Bay is a bay forming part of Luzon Sea on the west coast of the island of Luzon in Zambales, Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility named U.S...
at 230 mm (9 in). Minor flooding and power outages were reported in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. These heavy rains led to flooding which reportedly killed 30 people in Luzon. However, the fatalities are uncertain as PAGASA reported that two people were killed by the storm. In all, Conson caused about PHP
Philippine peso
The peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
1.6 million ($35,000 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
) in damage.
Taiwan and Hong Kong
High winds and heavy rain warnings were issued for most of Taiwan along with sea warnings. Schools and businesses on Orchid IslandOrchid Island
Orchid Island is a 45-km² volcanic island off the southeastern coast of Taiwan island and separated from the Batanes of the Philippines by the Bashi Channel of the Luzon Strait. It is governed as Lanyu Township of Taitung County...
were suspended on June 9 and 10 as Typhoon Conson passed by. Some domestic flights were cancelled and rail and ferry services were suspended ahead of the storm. When Conson was first classified, Hong Kong was placed under a standby signal as the storm was located within 800 km (500 mi) of the city Only a few showers were reported in the city due to the storm. Taiwanese officials checked water gates throughout the island on June 8 and found that 68 were missing. Water management officials stated that the missing gates could "...wreak unnecessary damage...". The following day, 42 of the missing gates had been replaced. Fishing boats returned to port for shelter during the storm. An emergency operations center was set up to carry out search and rescue missions during and following the typhoon. Heavy rains from the typhoon peaked at 262.5 mm (10.3 in) in Yilan County. The storm caused minor damage and one minor injury during as it passed by Taiwan. Although Conson dropped heavy rains across the island, it was not enough to alleviate drought conditions in the southern areas.
Japan
Traveling towards the northeast, Conson headed towards Okinawa where schools were closed and local transportation was disrupted due to the storm. The Japan Meteorological AgencyJapan Meteorological Agency
The or JMA, is the Japanese government's weather service. Charged with gathering and reporting weather data and forecasts in Japan, it is a semi-autonomous part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport...
warned residents about the threat of heavy rains and high winds resulting from the storm. A United States naval base located in Okinawa was placed under a Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness (TCCR) Four as Typhoon Conson was approaching. As the storm neared the islands, the naval base was put under TCCR Three, indicating that winds of 92 km/h (57 mph) were anticipated within 48 hours. Ahead of the storm, upwards of 254 mm (10 in) fell across the islands, which were indirectly related to the storm. In southern Japan, several airlines canceled flights due to poor weather conditions.
Heavy rains, peaking at 345 mm (13.5 in) on Tarama
Tarama, Okinawa
is a village located in Miyako District, Okinawa, Japan. The village consists of Tarama Island and Minna Island between Ishigaki Island and Miyako Island....
, triggered flooding and landslides throughout the islands. The highest sustained winds on the islands were also recorded on Tarama at 137 km/h (85 mph) and the highest gust was recorded on Miyako-jima
Miyako-jima
Miyakojima is the largest and the most populous island among the Miyako Islands of Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It lies approximately 400 kilometres east of Taipei, Taiwan...
at 185 km/h (115 mph). Despite transitioning into an extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
while impacting Japan, Conson brought heavy rains and high winds to Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
. The highest rainfall and gusts were recorded in Tanegashima
Tanegashima
is an island lying to the south of Kyushu, in southern Japan, and is part of Kagoshima Prefecture. The island is the second largest of the Ōsumi Islands....
at 277.5 mm (10.9 in) and 146 km/h (91 mph) respectively; the highest sustained wind was recorded in Muroto, Kōchi
Muroto, Kochi
is a city located in Kōchi, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 17,388 and the density of 70 persons per km². The total area is 248.25 km².The city was founded on March 1, 1951.-External links:* in Japanese* in English*...
at 109 km/h (68 mph).
On Ishigaki Island, high winds and heavy rains cut power to many residences and damaged crops. A total of 1960 ha (4,843.3 acre) of agricultural land was damaged by the storm, leaving 31.9 million yen ($346,000 USD) in losses. Significant agricultural damage was also sustained on Miyako-jima, leaving 76.5 million yen ($805,000 USD) in losses. Okinawa sustained moderate damage during the passage of Conson, with several homes flooded and large lengths of power lines were lost. At the height of the storm, roughly 3,300 residences were without power and 1,305 power lines were downed. Additionally, 1685 ha (4,163.7 acre) of agricultural land was damaged, leaving 32.3 million yen ($350,000 USD) in losses.
In Kagoshima Prefecture
Kagoshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Kagoshima.- Geography :Kagoshima Prefecture is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu and includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest for a few hundred kilometers...
, Conson damaged 1846 ha (4,561.6 acre) of agricultural land and flooded six homes. Agricultural and property damage in the prefecture amounted to 100 million yen ($1 million USD) and 115 million yen ($1.2 million USD) respectively. A large landslide, roughly 30 m (98.4 ft) wide, in Matsuyama, Ehime
Matsuyama, Ehime
is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on the Shikoku island of Japan. It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dōgo Plain. Its name means "pine mountain." The city was founded on December 15, 1889....
prompted the evacuation of 19 homes; however, no known damage resulted from the incident. Throughout Kōchi Prefecture
Kochi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku. The capital is the city of Kōchi.- History :Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Kōchi was known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chosokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi family during the Edo period.- Geography...
, several highways were shut down after being damaged by Conson. Over 20 schools were let out early due to the deteriorating conditions.