Tropical Storm Percy (1993)

Tropical Storm Percy, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Miling, was an early-season tropical cyclone that passed through Japan during July 1993. An area of disturbed weather developed in the Philippine Sea on July 26. Gradual development ensued and on July 27, the disturbance was classified as a tropical depression. The following morning, the depression was upgraded into Tropical Storm Percy. Moving north-northwest, Percy slowly deepened and obtained its peak intensity of and a minimum barometric pressure of . Late on July 29, Percy passed over Kyushu and began to weaken. Percy was downgraded to a tropical depression on July 30 and dissipated completely two days later.

Across Kagoshima Prefecture, ten people suffered injuries. A total of 5,000 households lost power in Kumamoto Prefecture, with an additional 33,200 individuals losing power in Nagasaki Prefecture. Across Aichi Prefecture, 31 houses were damaged. In all, damage was estimated at 3.93 billion yen (US$35.4 million), though there were no deaths.

Meteorological history

Tropical Storm Percy originated from an area of persistent convection over the Philippine Sea, which separated from a large area of deep convection associated
with converging monsoonal flow into Tropical Storm Ofelia, that was first noted by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) on July 26. Thirty hours later, an increase in thunderstorm activity prompted a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert while the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) classified the system as a tropical depression. Around this time, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also monitored the storm and assigned it with the local name ''Milling''. At 18:00 UTC on July 27, the JTWC followed suit and declared the system a tropical depression, following an increase in organization. Around this time, the depression was located around south-southeast of Okinawa. Based on ship reports, the JTWC and the JMA each upgraded the cyclone to Tropical Storm Percy on the morning of July 28.

Following two previous tropical cyclones to the northwest, Percy tracked generally north-northwest while slowly strengthening. On the evening of July 28, the JMA declared Percy a severe tropical storm. The development of a cloud-filled eye and satellite intensity estimates of T4.0/ prompted the JTWC to upgrade Percy into a typhoon midday on July 29, with winds of , its peak intensity. Meanwhile, the JMA estimated that Percy attained its peak wind speed of and a minimum barometric pressure of . Accelerating towards Japan, Percy began to weaken. That evening, the storm made landfall over Kyushu before emerging into the Sea of Japan. On July 30, the JMA downgraded Percy to a tropical depression, and several hours later, the JTWC issued its final advisory on the system, as it had dissipated over the Sea of Japan. The JMA ceased tracking the system altogether on August 1.

Impact

The cyclone, along with Tropical Storms Nathan and Percy before it, dropped heavy rainfall across southern portions of the Japanese archipelago across late July and early August 1993. A total of occurred at Ebino, the highest across the country during this series of tropical cyclones. A peak hourly rainfall total of was observed by Lake Miike. Meanwhile, a peak daily precipitation total of fell in Asahimaru. A wind gust of was recorded in Kinugasayama. Overall, damage was estimated at 3.93 billion yen (US$35.4 million), though no fatalities were reported.

Five landslides occurred and six roads were damaged in Tokushima Prefecture. Damage in the Kochi Prefecture was less than that from Tropical Storm Ofelia. Twenty-two buses in Ehime Prefecture were cancelled, which affecting 2,100 citizens. Heavy rains from Ofelia, Percy, and Nathan caused Nagasaki City to have their wettest July on record. In Nage City in Kagoshima prefecture, strong winds partially destroyed one house and injured an individual. Offshore, a ferry was titled sideways, resulting in ten injured. Crop damage in Kumamoto Prefecture reached 487 million yen and around 5,000 customers were left without power. A 47-year-old women in Nagasaki Prefecture was injured by strong winds. Around 33,200 people lost power throughout the prefecture. In Oita Prefecture, damage was estimated at 40 million yen. Damage in Saga Prefecture totaled 800 million yen. Two people were injured in Fukuoka Prefecture, where heavy rains resulted in 2.26 billion yen of damage. Two homes were destroyed in Osaka Prefecture while at the Kansai International Airport, 26 flights were cancelled. In Yamaguchi Prefecture, damage was estimated at 346 million yen. Thirteen flights were called off at the Oki Airport. Fourteen train lines were delayed for 37 minutes. Across western portions of Aichi Prefecture, thirty-one homes were damaged and one was destroyed. Due to a combination of Ofelia and Percy, eight homes were damaged in Hokkaido Prefecture.

See also

* Tropical Storm Winona (1990) - similar early-season Western Pacific tropical storm

Notes

References

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