Chiba in the heavy rain crosshairs again

This afternoon in the Kanto region, the skies are darkening again. Over the hum of the air conditioner, I can hear the din from storms over eastern Saitama Prefecture.

A week ago, I told you how foreign residents and meteorology nerds got the word out about unprecedented rainfall. It looks like we may experience Round 2 this evening.

Yesterday, the canals and retention ponds around Shimizu Park filled fast. The area around the park has canals and basins that catch flood waters. When the rains lifted, I cycled along the pedestrian path to see the retention ponds and culverts. It's a natural landscape with nearly no buildings in sight, but also a bit ominous because of its potential to flood.

Picturesque retention pond after the deluge on August 21st

The sudden downpours are referred to as ゲリラ豪雨, gerira go, or guerilla rainstorms. The informal term applies to rainstorms that drop 100 milimeters of rain in a localized area. 

Be careful out there in northern Chiba and eastern Saitama, as we may see a reprise of the heavy rains this evening.