Estimating changes in typhoon tracks during the 20th century using rainfall data in eastern Kyushu

Abstract

We estimated the change in typhoon tracks around Japan from 1901 to 2000 using August daily rainfall data of two stations in Eastern Kyushu (Miyazaki and Oita). We defined a typhoon accompanied by orographic rain band in Eastern Kyushu during the 20th century and revealed that the number of typhoons has decreased rapidly after 1950. The correlation of precipitation between Eastern Kyushu and 51 stations over Japan indicated that typhoon tracks around Japan have shifted southwestward since 1950. Moreover, we concluded that a decrease in amount of orographic rainfall was probably due to a northward acceleration of typhoons.