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June 26, 2025 - Tropical Storm Sepat Passes Japan
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Tropical Storm Sepat formed on June 22, 2025, northeast of the Mariana Islands, a group of islands in the northwest Pacific Ocean. Initial maximum sustained winds were estimated at 35 knots (40 mph/65 kph), and it was moving towards Honshu Island, Japan. The initial advisories forecast that the storm would strengthen but be short-lived, given the unfavorable environment containing strong shear and marginal ocean heat content.
Tropical Storm Sepat continued on a course towards the city of Tokyo until early on June 25 when increasing wind shear forced it to turn to the northeast. The same environment caused Sepat to weaken to a tropical depression, with maximum sustained winds of 30 knots (34.5 mph/55.6 kph), according to an advisory by Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). Sepat then drifted parallel to the island of Honshu on a track heading away from land over the North Pacific.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of Tropical Cyclone Sepat on June 25 as the storm struggled to maintain forward motion. It was pushed to the northeast shortly after this image was acquired and returned to the status of a tropical depression.
Tropical Cyclone Sepat is reported to have brought high surf to coastal areas of Honshu Island near the storm. The image shows convective bands over several small volcanic islands that sit just off the coast near the large city of Tokyo, evidence that these islands were experiencing strong gusting winds and rain. Media reports available on June 25 do not indicate any severe damage from the close passage of Tropical Cyclone Sepat.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 6/25/2025
Resolutions:
1km (504.3 KB), 500m (1.6 MB), 250m (4.4 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Tropical Storm Sepat formed on June 22, 2025, northeast of the Mariana Islands, a group of islands in the northwest Pacific Ocean. Initial maximum sustained winds were estimated at 35 knots (40 mph/65 kph), and it was moving towards Honshu Island, Japan. The initial advisories forecast that the storm would strengthen but be short-lived, given the unfavorable environment containing strong shear and marginal ocean heat content.
Tropical Storm Sepat continued on a course towards the city of Tokyo until early on June 25 when increasing wind shear forced it to turn to the northeast. The same environment caused Sepat to weaken to a tropical depression, with maximum sustained winds of 30 knots (34.5 mph/55.6 kph), according to an advisory by Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). Sepat then drifted parallel to the island of Honshu on a track heading away from land over the North Pacific.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of Tropical Cyclone Sepat on June 25 as the storm struggled to maintain forward motion. It was pushed to the northeast shortly after this image was acquired and returned to the status of a tropical depression.
Tropical Cyclone Sepat is reported to have brought high surf to coastal areas of Honshu Island near the storm. The image shows convective bands over several small volcanic islands that sit just off the coast near the large city of Tokyo, evidence that these islands were experiencing strong gusting winds and rain. Media reports available on June 25 do not indicate any severe damage from the close passage of Tropical Cyclone Sepat.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 6/25/2025
Resolutions:
1km (504.3 KB), 500m (1.6 MB), 250m (4.4 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
