U.S. bases on Okinawa remained in Storm Watch overnight. Haikui as a Category 1-equivalent typhoon forecast to pass 245 miles southwest of Okinawa early Saturday. (Joint Typhoon Warning Center)
9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 1, Japan time: U.S. bases on Okinawa remained in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness Storm Watch overnight Thursday into Friday.
Destructive winds are no longer forecast, but there still exists a probability of high winds because Typhoon Haikui does remain relatively close. Close enough that a heightened alert posture is needed to re-elevate TCCORs in case Haikui does edge closer to the island again.
All of that said, Haikui strengthened into a Category 1-equivalent typhoon overnight Thursday. Even if Okinawa does not experience destructive winds, bases can expect a blustery, showery Friday, perhaps Saturday as well.
At 9 a.m., Haikui was about 345 miles southeast of Kadena Air Base, headed west at 10 mph, packing 75-mph sustained winds and 92-mph gusts.
If Haikui remains on current course, JTWC projects it to pass 245 miles south-southwest of Kadena at 1 a.m. Saturday, packing 92-mph sustained winds and 115-mph gusts at storm’s center.
The latest wind-forecast timeline for Haikui from Kadena’s 18th Wing Weather Flight continues to show peak winds of 35-mph sustained and 52-mph gusts for south Okinawa and 29-mph sustained winds and 46-mph gusts for Kadena at about 9 p.m. Friday.
Haikui is then forecast to gradually weaken as it approaches forecast landfall early Sunday morning over China’s east coast as a Category 1-equivalent typhoon.
