I want to thank Sheril for the last post. I've literally been so slammed on the road I haven't been able to write anything. Indeed, I don't even have any clothes to wear; I didn't get to pack for the tour due to travel upheaval. (Hence my appearance in a T-shirt with Amy Goodman on Democracy Now.)
However, I do take time out from my tour craziness to point out to you a disturbing event unfolding today and tomorrow: Okinawa is about to get hit by a Category 4 equivalent typhoon, Man-Yi. Indeed the storm may strengthen into a supertyphoon just before landfall. Later, Man-Yi is forecast to trouble the rest of Japan and perhaps even Tokyo, though it should be weaker by then. Japan is not unfamiliar with typhoons, but still, this is one powerful (and massive) storm. Here's the latest satellite image:
Unrelatedly, let me leave with some Storm World links: The book got a very positive review from Ellen Rupert Shell of the Atlantic in the Boston Globe. (Read here.) It also got one from our very own Afarensis, who also gave two thumbs up. (Read here.) And I was twice quoted Saturday on an NPR Weekend Edition program, once again about why the global warming issue has "tipped"...
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You are right about Okinawa/Man-Yi. It's Friday 2:24 a.m. and Kadena AFB is official locked down in a TC-1E. We're getting pounded by wind and occasionally rain. The thing is supposed to escalate and really hit by Friday 9 a.m. our time. My daughter, 9 months pregnant, and her son are waiting out the storm in the hospital in case she goes into labor. I'm visiting from St. Louis (and I thought we had bad weather) and this is a crazy experience. Waiting at their home on base with their 2-year-old and 14-year-old Rhodesian ridgeback who hates going potty in the rain. Fun!
Glad I'm not there, judging by those satellite pictures. I hope we don't start getting those where I live.
And now the JTWC is estimating it at 135 kts - just below cat 5.
I'm a meteorologist in Tampa, FL. Please give us updates on your progess...if anyone in Okinawa has the ability to email please do so at tvweather@aol.com Our phone is 813-354-2800. It is now 6:31 Eastern Time.....we are on the air again at 11pm. Any updates would be great to give to our viewers. Thanks!
This Typhoon (Man-Yi) is a "Bugger". One of the biggest since I returned here almost 28 years ago.
My first BiGGGGGGGGGGGG Typhoon was here in August 1958. The Momma of all Mommas.
Everyone keep safe.
Al Pearson
Just a t-shirt?
Is there a website (even in Japanese) for typhoon alerts and weather forecasts for Okinawa? If so would you be so kind as to post the URL here? Thanks! I'll be going to Okinawa in August.
Steve, the Japan Meteorological Agency has an excellent web page for tropical cyclone information, in both English and Japanese. If you follow the links, they also have warning pages for other issues. (The JTWC also does typhoon forecasts, but only the JMA has the responsibility of official warnings and alerts in that region.)
MY SON IS IN OKINAWA, JAPAN ON KADENA AIRFORCE BASE AND I WAS WONDERING IF THE STORM HAS GONE PAST AND IF THE SOLDIERS ARE OKAY ON THIS BASE
Thanks for the JMA link... very interesting!
My son is also stationed at Kadena AFB, however he lives off base. He was sent home to the apartment Thursday after attending some ALS classes. As soon as anyone hears anything from their lived ones coping with the aftermath of the storm, please post ASAP. Guess I'd feel better if he'd been able to stay on the base.
I live on the Sunabe Sea Wall here on Okinawa, just outside Kadena AB. It is 8am SAT here, and the wind is STILL ripping out there, huge waves. I am still struggling to open the patio doors that are on the ocean side. This is my 3rd season here, and yesterday was intense. Im on the 3rd floor, but I fought water all day coming into my apt. I mopped up about 4 large buckets from the rain and sea spray being forced through the door tracks. We lost power for a good 4-5 hours yesterday afternoon. If anyone wants some photos or video e-mail me. aaronhthomas@yahoo.com
Greetings from Oki! We live on Kadena Air Base and I'm happy to announce that the worst of the storm has passed. Yesterday (Friday mid-morning and afternoon local time) was the worst. The wind was absolutely UNBELIEVABLE! I thought, for a while, our car was going to be swept away. This is my 4th Typhoon Season on-island and this has been the worst typhoon to sweep through here since late 2004 by far.
For all of you concerned parents out there, all is well over here now that the storm has moved on (on base anyway)... you may or may not have heard from your children yet as a lot of people are still without power. It's raining pretty good now...this morning everyone was outside surveying the damage... lots of downed trees, busted up sheds and twisted trampolines. We JUST got our internet connectivity back after being out for about 24 hours. Thanks for all the concerns... For the few of you interested in keeping up on typhoons around here in the future, here's some of my favorite websites:
http://www.typhoon2000.ph/
http://www.hurricanezone.net/
Kassia
Just heard about this. I'm from Louisiana Gulf Coast and we've been having an extremely quiet season. Is it possible that this is a pattern? One side of the globe getting hammered while the other rebuilds? Those poor people. I wouldn't wish a cat 4 on anyone.
SDR