1.
torrential downpour — extremely heavy rain concentrated in a small area over a short time, often causing floods and landslides
Very heavy rain that falls over a limited area for a short period of time, often a few hours. Common in Japan during the rainy season (梅雨) and typhoon season, and a frequent cause of flash floods, landslides, and disaster warnings.
Compound of 集中 ('concentration') and 豪雨 ('heavy rain, downpour'). Literally 'concentrated heavy rain.'
Usage
- Emphasizes that the rain is concentrated in both time and space — falling very hard on a limited area for a short stretch, rather than spreading out over a wide region.
- A frequent term in weather forecasts, news reports, and disaster alerts; often appears in headlines about flash floods (鉄砲水) and landslides (土砂災害).
- The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) uses the related term 線状降水帯 ('linear rainband') for a specific pattern that causes repeated 集中豪雨.
Common collocations
- 集中豪雨が発生する: for a torrential downpour to occur
- 集中豪雨に見舞われる: to be hit by a torrential downpour
- 集中豪雨による被害: damage caused by a torrential downpour
- 局地的な集中豪雨: a localized torrential downpour
Similar words
- 豪雨: heavy rain, downpour — the broader term, not necessarily localized.
- 大雨: heavy rain — an everyday term, less intense in connotation than 豪雨.
- ゲリラ豪雨: 'guerrilla downpour' — a journalistic term for a sudden, unpredictable, intense rainfall; overlaps heavily with 集中豪雨.
- 夕立: evening shower — a brief summer afternoon/evening shower, typically much lighter.