Tag Archives: Kadena

Tropical Storm Khanun Brings Gusty Winds and Rain Back to Okinawa

Tropical Storm Khanun brought gusty winds and rain back to Okinawa on Friday night. A weather station at Kadena Air Force Base reported a sustained wind speed of 52 m.p.h. (84 km/h) and a wind gust of 69 m.p.h. (111 km/h). At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Khanun was located at latitude 27.7°N and longitude 127.2°E which put it about 100 miles (160 km) northwest of Okinawa. Khanun was moving toward the east at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 972 mb.

Former Typhoon Khanun weakened to a tropical storm on Friday. The bands in the inner core of Khanun’s circulation consisted of low clouds and showers. Bands of thunderstorms were located in the eastern and southern parts of Tropical Storm Khanun. Bands in the northwestern part of Khanun also consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. The bands of thunderstorms generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the east of the tropical storm. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 200 miles (325 km) from the center of Khanun’s circulation.

Tropical Storm Khanun will move through an environment that will be somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours . Khanun will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28˚C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. However, Tropical Storm Khanun is unlikely to intensify during the next 24 hours, because of the lack of thunderstorms in the inner core of its circulation. The large circulation around Tropical Storm Khanun seems to be in an equilibrium with its environment and the intensity may not change much during the next 36 hours..

Tropical Storm Khanun will move around the northwestern part of a subtropical high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Khanun toward the east during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, the center of Tropical Storm Khanun will pass north of Okinawa in 12 hours. The center of Khanun could pass over Amami Oshima in less than 24 hours. Tropical Storm Khanun will continue to produce strong, gusty winds and locally heavy rain in Okinawa, Amami Oshima and the other northern Ryukyu Islands. Heavy rain will cause flash floods in some locations.

Typhoon Khanun Brings Wind and Rain to Okinawa

Typhoon Khanun brought wind and rain to Okinawa on Tuesday. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Typhoon Khanun was located at latitude 25.7°N and longitude 127.1°E which put it about 50 miles (80 km) south-southwest of Okinawa. Khanun was moving toward the west-northwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 155 m.p.h. (250 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 941 mb.

Typhoon Khanun brought strong, gusty winds and locally heavy rain to Okinawa on Tuesday. The eye and eyewall at the center of Khanun’s circulation passed just south of Okinawa. Bands in the northern part of Typhoon Khanun moved across Okinawa. A weather station at Kadena Air Force Base reported a sustained wind speed of 74 m.p.h. (119 km/h). The weather station reported a wind gust to 87 m.p.h. (141 km/h).

An eye with a diameter of 25 miles (40 km) was at the center of Typhoon Khanun. The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Typhoon Khanun. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the typhoon.

The circulation around Typhoon Khanun was large. Winds to typhoon force extended out 65 miles (105 km) from the center of Khanun’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 200 miles (320 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Khanun was 23.6. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 18.2 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 41.8. Khanun is capable of causing regional major damage. Typhoon Khanun was as strong as Hurricane Dennis was when Dennis hit Northwest Florida in 2005. Khanun was much larger than Dennis was.

Typhoon Khanun will move through an environment that will become less favorable for a strong typhoon during the next 24 hours. Khanun will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28˚C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. However, there is a region of drier air northwest of the Ryukyu Islands. Some of the drier air could get pulled into the western half of Typhoon Khanun. The drier air is likely to cause Typhoon Khanun to weaken during the next 24 hours. Khanun is likely to move slowly during the next few days. Strong winds near the surface will mix cooler water to the surface of the ocean. Typhoon Khanun will extract less energy from the ocean and it is likely to continue to weaken later this week.

Typhoon Khanun will move around the southwestern side of a subtropical high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Khanun toward the west-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, the core of Typhoon Khanun move west of Okinawa during the next 24 hours. The steering currents are likely to weaken later this week and Typhoon Khanun could meander near the Ryukyu Islands for several days. Khanun will continue to bring strong, gusty winds and locally heavy rain to Okinawa and the other southern Ryukyu Islands. Heavy rain will cause flash floods in some locations. Typhoon Khanun will also cause a significant storms surge in the parts of islands where the winds blow water toward the coast.

Typhoon Maysak Strengthens to Equivalent of Major Hurricane Near Okinawa

Typhoon Maysak strengthened to the equivalent of a major hurricane near Okinawa on Monday.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Typhoon Maysak was located at latitude 25.5°N and longitude 127.0°E which put it about 110 miles (180 km) south-southwest of Kadena AFB, Okinawa.  Maysak was moving toward the north-northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 125 m.p.h. (200 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 155 m.p.h. (250 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 936 mb.

Typhoon Maysak strengthened to the equivalent of a major hurricane on Monday as it approached Okinawa.  A circular eye with a diameter of 30 miles (50 km) was at the center of Maysak.  The eye was surrounded by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Typhoon Maysak.  Storms near the core were generating upper level divergence which was pumping mass away from the typhoon.

Typhoon Maysak had a large circulation.  Winds to typhoon force extended out 70 miles (110 km) from the center of Maysak.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 200 miles (320 km) from the center.  The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Typhoon Maysak was 23.6.  The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 24.1 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 47.7.  Typhoon Maysak was capable of causing widespread major damage.

Typhoon Maysak will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 12 to 24 hours.  Maysak will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Typhoon Maysak could strengthen further and it could intensify into the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.

Typhoon Maysak will move around the western end of a subtropical high pressure system over the Western North Pacific Ocean.  The high will steer Maysak toward the north during the next several days.  On its anticipated track the center of Typhoon Maysak will pass west of Okinawa during the next few hours.  Maysak will bring strong winds and heavy rain to Okinawa.  Typhoon Maysak could approach South Korea in about 48 hours.

Elsewhere over the Western North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Depression 11W formed east-southeast of Iwo To.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Depression 11W was located at latitude 25.5°N and longitude 127.0°E which put it about 315 miles (515 km) east-southeast of Iwo To.  the depression was moving toward the southwest at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1008 mb.