Hurricane Tracker Shows Typhoon Surigae Nearing Okinawa With Kanto Landfall Possible
Global severe weather events this weekend included record rainfall and flooding in Bangkok, a new record low on the Rhine River in Europe, record late-September heat in Switzerland, and projections of up to 451,000 additional heat-related deaths worldwide from the ongoing super El Niño through February 2027, with Nigeria facing the highest toll. Hurricane tracker reports highlight how these events coincide with Typhoon Surigae’s approach.
Record Flooding Hits Bangkok After Month’s Rain in a Weekend
Bangkok received more than 12 inches of rain from Friday through the weekend, nearly a month’s typical September total. [1] This caused widespread flooding that submerged roads, vehicles, and homes. [1] Residents waded through knee-deep water to reach public transport or buy food, with floodwaters reaching chest height in some neighborhoods. [1] Tourists carried suitcases over their heads as they made their way through flooded streets to hotels. [1] Major roads disappeared beneath floodwater over the weekend and vehicles were partially submerged. [1] The deluge overwhelmed drainage systems across the low-lying metropolis. [1] The government closed public offices and postponed economic data releases. [1]
Rhine River Hits Historic Low, Stranding Ships and Disrupting Traffic
The Rhine River at Lobith on the Dutch-German border fell to a record low of 6.1 meters on Sunday, below the prior record. [2] Flow dropped below 600 cubic meters per second for the first time. [2] This has led to stranded cruise ships, traffic restrictions, detours, and canceled ferries and river cruises. [2] Further upstream in Cologne, a Dutch cruise ship became stuck in mid-river as water levels dropped to just 40 centimetres on the gauge. [2] The Dutch Melody, which carries 140 passengers, was able to continue downriver after being assisted by another ship. [2] Dutch water authorities imposed restrictions on river traffic as channels became narrower and shallower. [2] Vessels using the IJssel to travel from Arnhem to Zutphen are having to take a 300km detour after a one-way system was imposed. [2] Some ferries across the rivers have been cancelled and river cruises have had to cancel trips or shorten their itineraries. [2] River levels are expected to drop further this week due to low rainfall in the Alps. [2]
Late-September Heat Records Set Across Switzerland
Switzerland recorded late-September heat records north of the Alps, with Basel-Binningen reaching 30.1°C and Delémont 29.6°C. [4] These were the hottest such late-season temperatures measured. [4] The weather service noted that never before has a hot day been recorded so late in the year on the northern side of the Alps. [4] Temperatures of up to 30°C were also reported by the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology. [4] It will remain warm for the next few days, with temperatures of 25°C to 29°C expected. [4]
Super El Niño Projected to Cause Highest Heat Deaths in Nigeria and Sahel
Researchers project the super El Niño will cause 451,000 additional global heat deaths by February 2027, with Nigeria, Sudan, Niger, and Chad most affected in Africa’s Sahel region. [3] This projects 31,400 extra deaths in Nigeria alone due to poverty, limited electricity, and lack of cooling. [3] The four countries are projected to see 66,800 additional deaths from extreme heat compared with a normal year. [3] Sudan is projected to have the second largest number at 17,500, followed by Niger with 10,000 and Chad with 8,000. [3] In Nigeria more than 60% of people were estimated to live below the national poverty line in 2025, while even homes with electricity face power cuts. [3] In Sudan an estimated 57% of people lived in extreme poverty in 2025. [3] In Niger 41% lived below the national poverty line in 2021, and in Chad 44.8% of the population lived in poverty in 2022. [3] Only 21% of people in Niger and 13% in Chad had electricity in 2024. [3] The most effective near-term solutions include early warning systems paired with heat action plans, targeted health outreach to elderly and vulnerable populations, cooling centres, hydration stations, and protections for outdoor workers during peak-danger hours. [3]
Hurricane Tracker Shows Strong Typhoon Surigae Approaching Japan as Kanto Recovers from Prior Storm
Typhoon Surigae, classified as a very strong typhoon by JMA and upgraded to super typhoon by JTWC, is approaching Okinawa and may reach Japan’s Kanto region later this week. [5] The Japan Meteorological Agency classified Surigae as a very strong typhoon, and the U.S. military’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center upgraded it to a super typhoon on Sunday night. [5] It had originally formed east of the Philippines last week. [5] The typhoon is not expected to directly hit Okinawa Prefecture, although the JMA still warned against high waves and violent winds there. [5] Surigae is predicted to move east-northeast initially away from Japan before approaching the Izu Islands and potentially making landfall in the Tokai and Kanto regions around Thursday, by which time the typhoon will likely have weakened into a severe tropical storm. [5] The land ministry warned that Surigae could lead to heavy rain warnings in western and eastern Japan later this week. [5] This would maintain the historic amounts of rainfall seen this month, when the Kanto-Koshin region set a record for September rainfall and rainfall over a 24-hour period during Typhoon Dujuan’s peak on Sept. 21. [5] Typhoon Dujuan caused extensive damage and killed at least 10 people in Chiba, Miyazaki and Kanagawa prefectures. [5] Landslides damaged hundreds of houses, and flooding led to record-breaking water levels and agricultural destruction in Chiba Prefecture. [5] Thousands of households were also left without water, of which around 470 were still undergoing outages as of Monday. [5] Monday was the 33rd straight day that Tokyo saw rain, which tied a record set in the summer of 2019. [5]
Broader Global Severe Weather Context
The diverse extreme events reported this weekend tie into larger climate patterns where mentioned in sources. [1][2][3][4][5] Bangkok’s flooding followed more than 12 inches of rain in one weekend. [1] The Rhine’s record low disrupted shipping across the Dutch-German border. [2] Switzerland’s late-September records reached 30.1°C in Basel-Binningen. [4] The super El Niño is projected to drive 451,000 additional heat deaths globally by February 2027, with Nigeria facing the highest toll at 31,400. [3] Typhoon Surigae’s path threatens areas still recovering from Typhoon Dujuan. [5]
What to watch next: Surigae is forecast to approach the Izu Islands and potentially make landfall in the Tokai and Kanto regions around Thursday while weakened to a severe tropical storm, and river levels on the Rhine are expected to drop further this week due to low rainfall in the Alps.
