Typhoon 22W (Prapiroon), # 4
Published: October 13, 2012
12:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14, Japan time: Nuisance or not?
Typhoon Prapiroon, though not expected to make a direct hit on Okinawa, is still hanging close enough east to be a major pain in the keister, sustained winds in the 30- to 35-mph range and gusts up to 45 and 50 mph forecast for the next few days.
It’s then projected to accelerate rapidly northeast, remaining a good 200 miles offshore southeast of the Kanto Plain but still maintaining severe tropical-cyclone strength. Mid-morning Friday should be a gusty, wet one, with sustained 20- to 25-mph winds and 35- to 40-mph gusts off of Yokosuka, less severe inland.
That said, this Prapiroon Thai God of Rain character is emblematic of how strange this tropical cyclone season has been. I’ve seen the strongest super-typhoon winds on record (Bolaven), while Okinawa has experienced its strongest gusts since Man-yi in 2007 and its worst damage since Bart in 1999 (Jelawat). And in less than 10 months, the Tokyo area’s been pounded by two severe tropical storms.
Worse, now, there’s a new tropical disturbance forming north of Guam that will bear watching over the next few days. As always, PST will keep a sharp eyeball on each.
