Pulasan has passed closest point of approach to Okinawa. Showers and gusty winds forecast to continue Thursday as Pulasan moves out of the area. (Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

7:10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, Japan time: Closest point of approach by Tropical Storm Pulasan to Okinawa has come and gone. It remains an expansive monsoon depression-like system, and gusty winds and showers should continue at least through Thursday morning as Pulasan moves out of Okinawa’s neighborhood.

At 3 a.m., Pulasan was about 35 miles north of Kadena Air Base, moving northwest at 13 mph, packing 52-mph sustained winds and 63-mph gusts at center. U.S. bases on Okinawa remained in seasonal Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 4 overnight.

Pulasan is forecast to move rather rapidly northwest toward China, with blustery, showery conditions forecast to last through Thursday morning, perhaps beyond.

Peak forecast winds remain at 23-mph sustained and 35-mph gusts for Kadena and 29-mph sustained and 40-mph gusts to other parts of Okinawa, according to Kadena Air Base’s 18th Wing Weather Flight.

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Japan Meteorological Agency typhoon tracks = https://www.jma.go.jp/bosai/map.html#5/22.658/125.286/&elem=root&typhoon=all&lang=en&contents=typhoon

Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecast track for Pulasan = https://www.metoc.navy.mil/jtwc/products/wp1524.gif

Model track guidance and forecast ensembles for Pulasan = https://www.tropicaltidbits.com/storminfo/#15W

Kadena Air Base 18th Wing Weather Flight weather information = https://www.kadena.af.mil/Agencies/Local-Weather/

Kadena Air Base official Facebook page = https://www.facebook.com/KadenaAirBase

Typhoon season primer for those new to the Pacific = https://www.stripes.com/theaters/asia_pacific/storm_tracker/2023-05-07/typhoon-season-primer-for-those-new-to-the-pacific-10040838.html