Japan bought a supercomputer that could tell heavy rain forecasts way ahead before it starts pouring torrentially.
On top of that, this new supercomputer should also help inform folks in the Land of the Rising Sun about potential natural disasters, which include but is not limited to flooding and landslides.
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Pedestrians walk under heavy rain in Ginza district of Tokyo on September 24, 2022.
Japan's Supercomputer Forecasts Heavy Rains Way Ahead
A sudden heavy rain sure is a bummer when you are outside, whether it is a daily commute or a leisurely stroll.
But in Japan, heavy rains sometimes get out of hand. The torrential downpour could lead to flooding and other natural disasters, endangering numerous lives.
Interesting Engineering reports that natural disasters in Japan are common as the Asian nation sits in a location where various tectonic plates meet. And as such, the country often experiences earthquakes and tsunamis.
On top of that, Next Platform notes that Japan typically deals with typhoons and typhoons as it is located in the subtropics.
So Japan went on to purchase a supercomputer to give out more accurate heavy rain forecasts in advance, ideally up to 12 hours ahead before it dampens the streets. It should also predict other natural disasters several hours before.
Fugaku Supercomputer
Fujitsu says that the supercomputer that Japan bought to forecast heavy rains is based on its Fujitsu Supercomputer PRIMEHPC FX1000."
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A pedestrian stands under heavy rain in Ginza district of Tokyo on September 24, 2022.
The supercomputer system sports up to 24 racks. All in all, its storage system could store up to 42.3 petabytes of information, whereas its peak performance goes as high as 31.1 petaflops.
This insanely powerful machine kicked off its operations on March 1 inside the data center of Fujitsu. The site is a strategic location as it keeps the supercomputer safe from disasters like earthquakes. It should help it continue its operations amid weather disturbances in the country, giving them constant weather forecasts.
The Japanese firm touts that the computer "will support the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) in its efforts to provide more accurate and rapid forecasts, allowing authorities to improve preparedness for heavy rain events. The Fugaku supercomputer should also "offer earlier warnings in case of disasters."
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More Accurate Forecasts of Heavy Rains?
Japan's new supercomputer looks into linear rainbands or simply a set of cumulonimbus clouds that are either slow-moving or nearly stationary. These typically hover above a single location for a couple of hours, in turn bringing torrential rains.
The powerful machine seeks to predict downpours from these phenomena roughly 12 hours before it starts bringing torrential rainfall. It could ideally help save people from extreme flooding or other natural disasters.
Interesting Engineering notes in the same report that JMA has been working to improve its prediction of linear rainbands since last June 2022. And now, with the new insanely powerful supercomputer, things might greatly improve.
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