By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 29, 2012
8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29, Korea time: Tembin remains a severe tropical storm as its course has shifted even farther east, now forecast to make landfall Thursday afternoon just south of Kunsan Air Base, then cutting across the Korean peninsula before exiting south of Kangnung into the Sea of Japan (or East Sea).
Joint Typhoon Warning Center advisories say Tembin still will be packing 46-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts as it crashes ashore 20 miles south of Kunsan about 5 p.m. Thursday. It should lose some of its strength as it interacts with land, but will still make for a wet, windy day at Daegu, Osan Air Base/Camp Humphreys and Yongsan Garrison.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 28, 2012
3 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 29, Korea time: Wind parameters remain the same, except the forecast track continues to bend eastward and pick up forward speed, with Tropical Storm Tembin now projected to veer 15 miles west of Kunsan Air Base at 6 p.m. Thursday, 5 miles west of Osan Air Base and Camp Humphreys at 1 a.m. Friday and 10 miles west of Yongsan Garrison at 3 a.m. Friday, packing sustained 52-mph winds and 63-mph gusts.
9 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 28, Korea time: Tropical Storm Tembin, which has battered southern Taiwan the last week, has shifted track and now is on course for a rendezvous Thursday evening or Friday morning along Korea’s west coast, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center’s latest advisory says.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 27, 2012
9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 28, Korea time: Everything on the Korean peninsula’s west coast is pretty much buttoned up, and with good reason: Typhoon Bolaven is making its way through the Yellow Sea (or West Sea) even as I type this, lashing the coast with southerly 58- to 69-mph wind gusts. Forecasts also call for 4 to 6 inches of rain through the evening as Bolaven crashes ashore long North Korea’s west coast just around sunset.
Bolaven should remain a Category 1 typhoon as it rumbles past Kunsan Air Base 90 miles west around high noon. It next passes 110 miles west of Osan Air Base and Camp Humphreys around 4 p.m., then 106 miles west of Yongsan Garrison at 6 p.m. before making landfall.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 27, 2012
It's all over for Okinawa. Kadena's 18th Wing declares all-clear and we resume seasonal Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 4 at 12:51 a.m. Tuesday.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 27, 2012
6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 27, Japan/Korea time: As suspected, all DODDS schools in Korea will shut down, no activities, no classes, no sports, as a precaution in advance of Tuesday’s anticipated arrival of Typhoon Bolaven, which is rapidly losing its punch but is forecast to hit the Yellow Sea (or West Sea) as a severe tropical storm or Category 1-equivalent storm.
Forecasts are still calling for wind gusts between 58 and 69 mph with 10 to 12 inches of rain. Thus, services at the various garrisons and air bases up and down the peninsula will be limited or closed completely.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 26, 2012
2:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 27, Japan/Korea time: Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 1-SW -- for Storm Watch -- has been issued for Okinawa, meaning it now is safe to go outside. Assessment teams still are surveying and checking for damage, flooding, downed power lines and tree limbs, etc. Okinawa was still being lashed by 48 mph winds and heavy rains into evening and possibly early Tuesday morning.
DODDS schools on Okinawa were closed for business on Monday. The same might happen for DODDS schools in Korea on Tuesday, depending on how cozy a visitor Typhoon Bolaven wishes to be to the Korean peninsula.
Approaching Typhoon Bolaven taken from Ikei island Saturday late afternoon as the storm approached Okinawa. Courtesy Derrick Stamos
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 26, 2012
2:30 Monday, Aug. 27, Japan time: Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 1-SW -- for Storm Watch -- has been issued for Okinawa. This mean it now is safe to go outside. Assessment teams still will fan out to survey and check for damage, flooding, downed power lines and tree limbs, etc. Okinawa was still being lashed by 48 mph winds and heavy rains into evening and possibly early Tuesday morning.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 26, 2012
7:20 a.m. Monday, Aug. 27, Korea time: Already, southern coastal areas of South Korea are being affected by the most outer bands of humongous Typhoon Bolaven, which is slowly making its away away from Okinawa and headed toward the Yellow Sea (or West Sea) with the west coast in its crosshairs.
Yongsan Garrison officials warn that U.S. bases could see southerly winds gusting from 58 to 69 mph Monday evening into Tuesday, with 12 inches of rain forecast.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 26, 2012
5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 27, Japan time: Typhoon Bolaven’s back-side wind and rain bands are still causing some fairly strong squalls over Okinawa, to the tune of 58-mph sustained winds and 71-mph gusts. Kadena Air Base 18th Wing Weather Flight officials say they expect this to keep up until around 7 a.m., perhaps longer. Patience. It’s almost over. Strongest sustained winds and gusts were 104 mph and 138 mph around 9:40 p.m. Sunday.
9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26, Japan time: It's happening, folks. Sustained winds are now exceeding 58 mph. Kadena Air Base's 18th Wing just declared Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 1-E (emergency) for Okinawa. All outdoor activity is prohibited. Stay indoors until the all-clear is sounded.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 26, 2012
8:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26, Japan time: Satellite imagery shows Typhoon Bolaven starting to cross the north part of the island over Nago, Okinawa's second-largest city on its northwest coast.
Camp Schwab and Okuma Recreation Center are in the crosshairs and should experience heavy winds on the front and back side of the eye, which should hang over both places for about an hour. Incredibly, Camp Hansen, just to the southwest of each locale, is reporting winds of about 50 mph.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 26, 2012
Now that Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 1-E is near/here, we’ve arrived at an island-wide lockdown forecast to be rather lengthy in nature. Probably lasting until early to mid-morning Monday. (cue the loud groan in the background).
Yep, I know. They’re never fun, they’re always tedious and utterly boring, but … when TCCOR 1-E is issued and everybody must stay inside as directed by the U.S. Forces Japan instruction, they must stay inside for a reason.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 26, 2012
As always, Murphy’s Law seems to strike at the ultimately worst times, throwing a steel rod into the fan of the engine of your weekend plans. Especially since this is the final weekend before school starts, which it likely won’t on Monday for some students in the Pacific, given Typhoon Bolaven’s forecast proximity to Okinawa.
That might be a silver lining in the clouds for your children. But what of the rest of us?
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 25, 2012
1:15 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26, Japan time: We’re almost there: sustained 30-mph winds and 55-mph gusts are occurring even as I type this, and the worst is still yet to come. Okinawa remains in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 1-C; expect that to change momentarily. Sustained 58-mph winds and greater are now forecast for between 1:30 p.m. today and 7 a.m. Monday, with peak 132-mph sustained winds and 161-mph gusts forecast for 6 p.m. Keep it buttoned down and stay safe!
9:15 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 26, Japan/Korea time: Shouldn’t be long before the big lock-in begins. Damaging winds of 58 mph or greater are now forecast for noon Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday by Kadena Air Base’s 18th Wing Weather Flight as Typhoon Bolaven continues to track toward Okinawa. Closest point of approach of 26 miles northeast by 8 p.m. is forecast by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 25, 2012
8 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 26, Japan time: Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 1-C was issued for Okinawa at 3 a.m. local time. Actual winds between 40 and 56 mph are occurring. If you've not gotten indoors and out of harm's way, do so NOW! TCCOR 1-E won't be far behind and the really bad stuff will begin. Take cover and be safe!
3 a.m, Sunday, Aug. 26, Japan/Korea time:
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 25, 2012
6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, Korea time:
Even though it’s a good two days away, no time like now to start getting ready for Typhoon Bolaven, which may be the worst to hit the peninsula in quite awhile.
Korea’s west coast shouldn’t get pulverized, but it will experience some severe effects from the storm as it roars away from Okinawa and into the Yellow Sea (or West Sea) Monday into Tuesday.
Expect southerly winds and gusts exceeding 58 mph and a goodly 6 to 12 inches of rain (on top of all that Korea’s already had, *ugh!*) beginning Monday evening lasting through Tuesday. Bolaven is forecast to skirt 47 miles west of Kunsan Air Base at 11 a.m. Tuesday, 43 miles west of Inchon at 4 p.m. and 63 miles west of Osan Air Base at 3 p.m. and Yongsan Garrison at 5 p.m.
Though it won’t be as rough for Korea as it will be for Okinawa, keep in mind, Korea isn’t built for typhoons the way Okinawa is. Some tips to keep you safe during the storm:
-- Don’t listen to rumors. The famous last words, “Well, I heard …” can be as devastating as the storm itself. Pay attention to command channels. Follow your command’s official Web page or Facebook or Twitter page. Those are run by official command channels and publish the most accurate information.
-- Prepare, prepare, prepare and prepare in no particular order. Clean up around house and home. Tie down or store loose objects inside, including things as heavy as the outdoor grill and butane gas can. Head to the commissary to stock up on water, non-perishable foods, including vittles for your furry friends, and yes, diapers and towelettes for the little ones. Fill up the cars’ gasoline tanks and stop at the ATM and pick up enough won and dollars for three days; power can go out and stay off for days at a time following one of these things. If your windows have storm covers, use them.
-- If in the unlikely event TCCOR 1-E is declared for one or more bases along the coast, STAY INDOORS. No need to take chances. Anything from a bicycle to a trash can lid can become a dangerous projectile in winds like those. Even after TCCOR 1-R is issued, that doesn’t mean it’s safe to go outside; winds between 40 and 56 mph are still occurring and assessment teams are out in force looking for flooding, damage, downed power lines and tree limbs.
Back down south, Bolaven has picked up forward speed and is charging toward a closest-point-of-approach of around 28 miles north of Kadena Air Base at 6 p.m. Sunday; Joint Typhoon Warning Center expects Bolaven to strengthen into a super typhoon by that time, packing 150-mph winds and 184-mph gusts at its center.
TCCOR 1 was just issued at 5 p.m.; expect upgrade to 1-C (caution) around mid-evening and 1-E (emergency) early Sunday morning.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 24, 2012
5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, Japan time: Okinawa entered Tropical Cyclone Conditon of Readiness 1 at 5 p.m. local time.
Looks like Typhoon Bolaven will make its entrance to Okinawa as a severe Category 4-equivalent super typhoon, pretty much what Bart was when it battered the island 13 years ago.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 24, 2012
2:25 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, Japan time: Okinawa entered Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 2 at 2:20 a.m.
Typhoon Bolaven’s forward speed has slowed to just 6 mph northwest, about 450 miles southeast of Okinawa. That’s not good; means the storm is nourishing itself with warm sea-surface temperatures that Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecasts say will strengthen it to near Category 5-equivalent status.
That will mean sustained 150-mph winds and 185-mph gusts at its center for about 24 hours as it makes its way toward Okinawa, fat and monstrous, with closest point of approach forecast for 15 miles north of Kadena Air Base at 6 p.m. Sunday.
Needless to say, expect upgraded Tropical Cyclone Conditions of Readiness as this thing approaches, with a lengthy lockdown that at this point could last from midnight Saturday to 2 p.m. Monday.
Here’s the latest forecast wind timeline from Kadena’s 18th Wing Weather Flight:
Sustained 40-mph winds – 6 a.m. Saturday.
Sustained 58-mph winds – midnight Saturday.
Maximum 144-mph winds and 178-mph gusts, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Winds diminishing below 58 mph – 2 p.m. Monday.
Winds diminishing below 40 mph – 7 p.m. Monday.
Winds diminishing below 35 mph – 9 p.m. Monday.
I can’t emphasize enough: This one is a bad one. Okinawa could potentially take a pounding as bad as it’s seen since Typhoon Bart in 1999, whose winds were equal to those forecast by Kadena’s weather flight this time.
Korea’s west coast continues to remain in Bolaven’s crosshairs once it departs Okinawa. U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan officials say forecasts call for wind gusts exceeding 58 mph and between 6 to 12 inches of rain as it skirts Korea’s west coast Monday and Tuesday.
For more, stay with PST or tune in to AFN Korea TV, visit your garrison command’s official or Facebook Web pages.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 24, 2012
7:45 p.m. Friday, Aug. 24, Japan time: To suggest that this storm is immense is to call Muhammad Ali a prize fighter.
North to south, Typhoon Bolaven stretches from parallels 28 North to 12 North, a span of 630 miles from outer bands to outer bands. Nearer Bolaven’s center, the really bad stuff, 58-mph-plus winds, reaches 314 miles across.
So even if Bolaven doesn’t make a direct hit on Okinawa, the island will likely feel the type of wrath it hasn’t felt since perhaps Typhoon Bart in 1999.
Expect an upgrade to Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 2 early Saturday morning; destructive winds of 58 mph or greater anticipated within 24 hours.
Bolaven has veered slightly further north than forecast over the last six hours, but remains on course to slam 7 miles north of Kadena Air Base at mid-afternoon Sunday, still packing Category 4-equivalent sustained 138-mph winds and 167-mph gusts at its center. 15 to 17 inches of rain are forecast through Bolaven’s duration around Okinawa.
Latest Kadena 18th Wing Weather Flight forecast wind timeline:
-- Sustained 35-mph winds and greater, 8 a.m. Saturday.
-- Sustained 40-mph winds and greater, 7 p.m. Saturday.
-- Sustained 58-mph winds and greater, 3 a.m. Sunday.
-- Maximum 138-mph sustained winds and 167-mph gusts, 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
-- Winds diminishing below 58 mph, 11 p.m. Sunday.
-- Winds diminishing below 40 mph, 7 a.m. Monday.
-- Winds diminishing below 35 mph, 6 p.m. Monday.
Following its unpleasant stay around Okinawa, Bolaven is forecast to continue northwest into the Yellow Sea (or West Sea), veering north and northeast just off the west coast of the Korean peninsula.
Korea won’t feel the wrath that Okinawa did, but U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan officials say forecasts call for wind gusts exceeding 58 mph and between 6 to 12 inches of rain.
For more, stay with PST or tune in to AFN Korea TV, visit your garrison command’s official or Facebook Web pages.
To Okinawa’s southwest, Tembin, following its passage over southern Taiwan, was downgraded to a tropical storm but should rapidly rebuild into a Category 1-equivalent typhoon, do a sharp about-face and head northeast, gradually diminishing and passing 237 miles west of Okinawa at mid-afternoon Wednesday. PST will advise if Tembin changes its mind and rumbles closer to the island.
By Kevin Dougherty
Published: August 24, 2012
Following is from Oki News Today from Marine Corps Base public affairs:
1. THE GREEN LINE TYPHOON PROCEDURES
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This is an MCIPAC G4 Special Announcement regarding the shut down of The Green Line in conjunction with the announcement of TCCOR 1C. It is anticipated based on current predictions that conditions will exist to produce a TCCOR 1C announcement at approximately 2000 local time on Saturday the 25th of August. At this time the Green Line will begin shut down procedures. Please plan accordingly and ensure all patrons of the Green Line are briefed of the potential suspension of services.
2. PATRIOT EXPRESS DELAYED DUE TO TYPHOON BOLAVAN
----------------------------------------------------
All Hands Special Announcement
The Patriot Express (PE) for this week will be delayed 72 hours due to Typhoon Bolavan. The PE is currently scheduled to arrive on Kadena at 2000 on 27 Aug 2012 and depart at 0825 on 28 Aug 2012. Passengers with reservations must show up at AMC Terminal on Kadena AB no later than 0625 on 28 August. Passengers with onward travel must contact your commercial airline carrier to make alternate arrangements to your connecting flight(s). For updates; tune into AFN or contact the AMC Terminal, Kadena at 634-5806 or Kadena’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AMCKadena for any questions concerning the status of this flight.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 24, 2012
Some infobytes that will help you understand some of the do’s and don’ts regarding Pacific-area tropical cyclones:
Q) Dave, when the eye of a typhoon passes over the island, is it OK to venture outside even for a few minutes, to take a break from being cooped up indoors?
A) NO! Absolutely not! While it may seem peaceful and tranquil, danger lurks all around it, in the form of THE highest winds that a tropical cyclone can be packing at that moment.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 23, 2012
1:45 p.m. Friday, August 24, Japan time: What a way to welcome the high school football season. Osan American at Kadena, scratched, along with scads of other weekend events as Typhoon Bolaven continues its slow, ponderous journey northwest toward Okinawa, with a direct hit in the cards around 5 p.m. Sunday.
Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 3 was issued at 1:23 a.m. Friday for Okinawa. And it appears as if the island isn’t the only target – the latest Joint Typhoon Warning Center track shows Bolaven skirting the west coast of the Korean peninsula as it charges north through the Yellow Sea.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 23, 2012
Midnight Thursday, Aug. 23, Japan time: This could be the proverbial "bad one," campers.
Forecast track now has Typhoon Bolaven making a direct hit on Okinawa at mid-afternoon Sunday, at which point the Joint Typhoon Warning Center says it will reach peak intensity as a Category 4-equivalent storm on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 22, 2012
1:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 23, Japan time: With every passing forecast track, Typhoon Bolaven continues edging closer, ever closer, to Okinawa. Latest forecast has Bolaven circling around Okinawa 78 miles to its southwest at 5 a.m. Sunday, but it should rumble through the area rather rapidly before dissipating a couple days later in the East China Sea.
Latest wind-timeline forecast from Kadena Air Base’s 18th Wing Weather Flight calls for the following:
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 22, 2012
10 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22, Japan time: Typhoon Bolaven is picking up forward speed, almost dead west at 10 mph, and now is forecast to track closer to Okinawa, 116 miles southwest, and sooner than earlier forecast, now at 8 a.m. Sunday local time.
Kadena Air Base’s 18th Wing Weather Flight’s updated typhoon wind timeline calls for the fiercest winds, 58-mph sustained, 80-mph gusts, between 6 and 9 a.m. Sunday. Between 10 and 15 inches of rain expected.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 22, 2012
3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22, Japan time: Looks like the opening of school might end up waiting a day, if Typhoon Bolaven has anything to say about it.
Joint Typhoon Warning Center and Kadena Air Base 18th Wing Weather Flight forecasts call for Bolaven to rumble 146 miles southwest of Okinawa around 6 a.m. Monday, packing a pretty severe Category II or III-equivalent punch.
For Okinawa, that means damaging winds of 58-mph or greater occurring between 9 p.m. Sunday and 9 a.m. Monday, 18th Wing Weather Flight officials said. Expect sustained 58-mph winds and 80-mph gusts between 2 and 4 a.m. Monday.
We remain in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 4, but no need to wonder, worry or wait. Take action. Clean up around house and office and make plans for that commissary, gasoline and ATM run.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 21, 2012
11:15 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22, Japan time: Bolaven was upgraded to Category 1-equivalent typhoon status overnight Tuesday and is creeping northwest on a forecast track expected to take it 146 miles southwest of Okinawa on Sunday evening.
Kadena Air Base 18th Wing Weather Flight’s extended forecast calls for winds to gradually pick up as the week progresses, with plenty of rainshowers in the mix. Sunday should be really gusty; expect sustained 52-mph winds with gusts up to 69 mph.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 21, 2012
10:15 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21, Japan time: All indicators show Typhoon Tembin turning sharply left and battering Taiwan, missing Okinawa by 350 miles southwest Wednesday afternoon. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Bolaven remains forecast to make a straight run west-northwest and rumble 192 miles southwest of Okinawa around midday Sunday. Weather officials and PST are keeping a sharp lookout.
Despite that, it should be a wet, windy week on the island with mostly cloudy skies, rainshowers and a chance of thunderstorms throughout. Winds will pick up starting Thursday, 30-mph sustained and 40-mph gusts in the evening, increasing to 40-mph sustained and 52-mph gusts Saturday evening. Okinawa remains in seasonal tropical cyclone condition of readiness 4.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 20, 2012
7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 21, Japan time: Still a question of how close Tropical Storm Bolaven comes to Okinawa come the weekend. Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecast track calls for Bolaven to chug about 207 miles south of the island around 3 a.m. Sunday. Kadena Air Base’s 18th Wing Weather Flight extended forecast calls for 30-mph winds and 52-mph gusts along with isolated thunderstorms Saturday afternoon and evening. PST’s got an eye on it.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 20, 2012
12:45 p.m. Monday, Aug. 20, Japan time: Too early to say definitively, as most tropical cyclones go, but initial forecast track shows Tropical Depression 16W possibly headed in Okinawa’s direction, this weekend or perhaps Monday, Kadena Air Base 18th Wing Weather Flight officials said.
Long-range forecast shows winds picking up Friday, 25 to 30 mph sustained with gusts up to 40 mph. At 9 a.m. Saturday, 16W is forecast by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center to be 385 miles southeast of Okinawa headed west-northwest.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 6, 2012
5:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 6, Japan time: Finally, it looks like Haikui is picking up forward speed west toward China again and gradually heading out of our area (knock on wood; famous last words, etc.). Okinawa remains in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness Storm Watch.
At 3 p.m., Haikui was 175 miles west-northwest of Kadena Air Base, rumbling west-northwest at 7 mph toward forecast landfall off China's east coast around 3 a.m. Wednesday. Forecast models, however, are not in agreement on this; some have Haikui curving sharply toward the Sea of Japan (East Sea), while others have it plowing inland.
By the numbers:
-- Strongest sustained winds 45 mph, strongest gust 76 mph felt at 4:38 a.m. Monday at Nago, Okinawa's second-largest city. That according to Kadena Air Base's 18th Wing Weather flight.
-- More than nine inches of rain fell from 6:52 p.m. Sunday; again, that according to Kadena's 18th Wing Weather Flight. Okinawa's Drought Countermeasures Agency reports the island's eight prefectural dams at 98.1-percent capacity. The privately-owned Kurashiki and Yamashiro dams are at 100 percent. Island average 98.2 percent. Safe zone is considered 75 percent or above. The island has not rationed water since 1994.
-- No initial reports of damage, deaths, injuries or flooding, although some areas off base did resemble war zones.
-- Airport officials reported 353 flights serving Naha international Airport canceled, affecting more than 70,000 passengers inbound and outbound. Japan Air Lines and its affiliates Japan Transocean Air and Ryukyu Air Commuter led the way with 184 cancellations. It may take days for the overflow of passengers to be corrected.
-- Post exchanges and commissaries reopened at 2:30 p.m. along with various other on-base agencies. The Dark Knight Rises (PG-13) will be shown at Keystone Theater on Kadena at 7 p.m. Macaroni Grill on Foster reopened at 4 p.m. Kadena's bowling, Schilling, ITT, auto hobby and arts and crafts reopened this afternoon. Okuma will remain closed until tomorrow.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 6, 2012
They weren’t supposed to be on Okinawa this long. Fly in from Yokota Air Base on Thursday, play Camp Foster on Saturday, fly back home Sunday.
But thanks to Tropical Storm Haikui, the Yokota Warriors interservice football team celebrated its U.S. Forces Japan-American Football League championship by becoming stranded on island through at least Tuesday.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 5, 2012
I’m sure by now hundreds are scratching their heads going, “How can Kadena go from Storm Watch to TCCOR 1-C?”
Tropical Storm Haikui is a prime example of how seasonal cyclones can be tricky buggers.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 5, 2012
Well, sometimes these things do happen. Tropical Storm Haikui stalled just northwest of Okinawa, which continues to be buffeted by sustained 52-mph winds and gusts up to 75 mph.
Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 1-C (caution) was issued for the island at 5:47 a.m. Those winds are forecast to continue into the afternoon, along with 5 to 7 inches of rain.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 5, 2012
11 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 5, Japan time: Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness Storm Watch was issued for Okinawa at 10:30 p.m.
That said, please remain vigilant and don't get complacent. All weather officials' eyes remain trained on Tropical Storm Haikui, which remains in the area and continues to buffet Okinawa with 25- to 30-mph winds and 35-mph gusts.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 4, 2012
6:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 5, Japan time: All wind parameters remain the same except for the timeline, which has been pushed back some. Tropical Storm Haikui has strengthened a bit, and the fiercest winds Okinawa should experience, 40-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts, are occurring as I type this, and should last until around 8 p.m. Quite a few rain squalls associated with Haikui as well. Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 1 remains in effect.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 2, 2012
7:40 p.m. Friday, Aug. 3, Japan time: Tropical Depression Haikui is starting to haul at a pretty good clip west-northwest toward a possible rendezvous just north of Okinawa on Monday, and is forecast to lash the island with 52-mph sustained winds and 75-mph gusts from around 6 a.m. until midnight. Rainfall of between 15 to 18 inches is also on tap.
U.S. bases on Okinawa remained in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 4 on Friday evening; that’s could change around mid-morning Saturday. Haikui was 757 miles east-southeast of Kadena Air Base at 3 p.m. Friday and charging west-northwest at 15 mph.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 2, 2012
8:15 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 2, Japan time: Just as we're getting Typhoon Damrey and Tropical Storm Saola out of our hair, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center this morning issued a tropical cyclone formation alert on a new system developing east of Iwo Jima.
Initial forecasts call for the system to track toward Okinawa. Kadena Air Base 18th Wing Weather Flight officials said computer-generated dynamic aids are not yet in agreement on which way the thing will track, and will keep a sharp eye on it, as will PST. Stay tuned.
At the time the formation alert was issued, the new system was 265 miles east-southeast of Iwo Jima, moving west-northwest at 8 mph. Should the new disturbance head in Okinawa's direction, 18th Wing Weather Flight officials said it could visit Okinawa's neck on the woods Monday or Tuesday.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: August 1, 2012
6:45 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1, Japan time: Damrey was upgraded to a Category 1-equivalent typhoon late Wednesday afternoon by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center and was packing 75-mph sustained winds and 92-mph gusts at its center. Forecast to pass 153 miles south of Sasebo Naval Base at 8 p.m. Wednesday, it's expected to rake Sasebo with 50-mph gusts overnight. A high-wind warning remains in effect until 3 a.m. Sasebo remains in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness Storm Watch. Typhoon Saola has passed its closest point of approach to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, where wind, rainshowers and isolated thunderstorms are forecast through Thursday. Assuming the two typhoons remain on their forecast tracks, PST signs off for now.
1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1, Japan time: Sasebo Naval Base entered Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness Storm Watch on Wednesday morning. Small in diameter but growing powerful at its center, Tropical Storm Damrey is forecast by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center to intensify into a Category 1-equivalent typhoon overnight Wednesday as it roars 155 miles south at about 8 p.m. Wednesday.
Expect isolated showers and winds between 25 and 35 mph, gusting to 50 mph overnight Wednesday into early Thursday morning, gradually decreasing into the afternoon. Partly cloudy skies are expected Friday and Saturday.
