Typhoon 18W (Jelawat), # 19
Published: September 28, 2012
3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, Japan time: The news gets worse with every passing update. Now, Okinawa is facing a battle with 132-mph sustained winds and 155-mph gusts, however briefly, around 2 p.m. Saturday. Jelawat is a “no-kidding” beast that should not be taken lightly.
By now, everybody in Okinawa should have completed final preparation for this storm. Okinawa remains in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 2; that will likely change early Saturday evening.
Latest forecast wind timeline from Kadena Air Base’s 18th Wing Weather Flight:
-- Sustained 35-mph winds or greater, midnight Friday.
-- Sustained 40-mph winds or greater, 1 a.m. Saturday.
-- Sustained 58-mph winds or greater, 6 a.m. Saturday.
-- Maximum 132-mph winds, 155-mph gusts, 2 p.m .Saturday.
-- Winds diminishing below 58 mph, 8 p.m. Saturday.
-- Winds diminishing below 40 mph, 11 p.m. Saturday.
-- Winds diminishing below 35 mph, midnight Saturday.
Thus, it should be in and out of Okinawa in relatively short order, but take no chances. This this could wreak a nasty path of destruction if the worst happens.
Up north in the Kanto Plain, Yokosuka Naval Base entered TCCOR 3 Friday morning. Keep an eye on Channel 15, your commands’ Facebook pages, follow them on Twitter and keep an ear on AFN Eagle 810-AM radio. Naval Air Facility Atsugi remains in TCCOR 4 and Sasebo Naval Base in Storm Watch.
