“The Car Was Lifting Off!” Inside the May Storm That Unleashed 30 m/s Blast Winds and Sent Trees Through Roofs

Whoooooooosh—

An eerie roar of wind echoed without pause as driving rain lashed against the car windows.

Thirty minutes had already passed since we became trapped inside the vehicle. There was no sign of the storm letting up. My wife, terrified in the passenger seat, suddenly cried out:

“At this rate, the car is going to tip over!”

On May 4, during the Golden Week holidays, this reporter was caught in a powerful windstorm known as a “May Storm” while visiting the mountainous region of Hachimantai, which rises to about 1,600 meters above sea level.

A rapidly developing low-pressure system generated wind gusts approaching 30 meters per second. The blast was so strong that standing upright was difficult and signboards were blown away. With my wife and my mother-in-law, who is in her eighties, in a rented kei car, driving safely became nearly impossible.

We parked in a parking area near the summit and waited for conditions to improve, but the storm showed no signs of weakening. The vehicle rocked violently from side to side, and I genuinely feared it might overturn.

“Maybe we can block some of the wind if we move closer to a building.”

Following my wife’s suggestion, we relocated the car and sought shelter in a lodge adjacent to the parking lot. The force of the wind was so intense that simply closing the car door after opening it required considerable effort.

Man Left Unconscious and in Critical Condition

Hachimantai was not the only place hit by violent spring winds that day. The Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line, which connects Kisarazu City in Chiba Prefecture and Kawasaki City in Kanagawa Prefecture, was closed to traffic after wind speeds exceeded 20 meters per second. An outdoor music festival scheduled to be held at Soga Sports Park in Chiba City was also canceled at the last minute.

“On the Odakyu Line in Kanagawa Prefecture, train services were suspended on part of the route after a metal panel measuring approximately seven meters square was blown away by wind gusts exceeding 26 meters per second and became caught in the overhead power lines. In Shirahama Town, Wakayama Prefecture, a tree toppled by a sudden gust crashed through the roof of a private home and struck a bedroom directly. Fortunately, no one was injured. On Awaji Island in Hyogo Prefecture, a bicycle being ridden was blown over, and a man in his fifties who was riding it struck his head hard and was left unconscious and in critical condition,” said a reporter from the social affairs desk of a national newspaper.

The “May Storm” is not merely a temporary phenomenon. It appears that continued caution will be necessary. Meteorologist Masamitsu Morita explains:

“When warm and cold air masses collide during seasonal transitions, low-pressure systems develop and winds become stronger. May, which marks the transition from spring to summer, is particularly prone to these powerful winds. If the Japan Meteorological Agency issues a storm warning, people should refrain from going out whenever possible.

If you encounter a spring storm while outdoors, you should immediately take shelter inside a sturdy building. This is especially important when going hiking—always check weather information in advance. Through the end of May, people should remain on guard against violent winds comparable to those of a strong typhoon.”

The powerful gusts that the reporter encountered in Hachimantai finally began to weaken more than an hour after taking refuge in the parking area. It was a terrifying experience that brought a very real sense of personal danger.