6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 8, Japan time: Unless Omais does an unexpected curve toward Japan, this should be PST's last installment on a tropical storm that has weakened slightly, down to 52-mph sustained winds and 63-mph gusts at center. Omais has reached its closest forecast point to Yokosuka Naval Base, about 260 miles east at 4 p.m.7 a.m. Monday, Aug. 8, Japan time: Omais intensified slightly, to 58-mph sustained winds and 75-mph gusts, a fairly strong tropical storm. It remains forecast to stay well off Japan's east coast, 260 miles east of Yokosuka Naval Base by about suppertime Monday. There are a couple of other disturbances out there, one that's drenching Okinawa, the other west of Wake Island; PST has its eye on those as well.12:45 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 7, Japan time: Omais doesn't appear to be intensifying as projected in earlier updates. It should remain a middling tropical storm through the rest of its forecast existence, and has peaked at 52-mph sustained winds and 63-mph gusts, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Omais is forecast to pass 284 miles east-southeast of Yokosuka Naval Base at about 10 p.m. Monday. Northerly winds should pick up at Yokosuka overnight Sunday into Monday, diminishing by Tuesday, according to Japan Meteorological Agency forecasts.6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, Japan time: Omais remains a strong tropical storm and is projected to reach Category 1-equivalent typhoon strength overnight Saturday into Sunday, Joint Typhoon Warning Center reports. Peak winds now forecast to be 86-mph sustained and 104-mph gusts early next week. Omais still forecast to remain well of Japan's east coast, passing about 255 miles east of Yokosuka Naval Base at about 4 a.m. Tuesday.6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, Japan time: Doesn't appear as if Tropical Storm Omais will amount to much more than a Category 1-equivalent typhoon about mid-day Monday, and it should remain well off-shore from the Tokyo and Tohoku regions of Japan Still, there's a bit of a spread among dynamic model guidance regarding Omais' forecast track in the long term. So, Omais could veer closer to the Tokyo area; it could creep farther east. And keep in mind, Omais is in its relative infancy, just one day of existence. Omais is forecast to peak at 81-mph sustained winds and 98-mph gusts at mid-afternoon Monday. Joint Typhoon Warning Center's forecast track takes Omais about 275 miles east of Yokosuka Naval Base just past midnight Monday, still packing 75-mph sustained winds and 92-mph gusts, but at its center. A small-craft advisory remains in effect for Guam and the main Marianas islands until Saturday morning. Gale warnings have been canceled for Saipan and Tinian, though the National Weather Service indicated that both islands will continue to experience 25- to 35-mph winds and 45-mph gusts through Friday evening into Saturday.12:45 a.m. Friday, Aug. 5, Guam time: A tropical storm has developed 256 miles north of Saipan, tracking north-northwest at 4 mph, but is forecast by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center to pass well east of Tokyo early next week.
Omais, which spawned rapidly into a tropical storm, is forecast by JTWC to peak at 86-mph sustained winds and 104-mph gusts at 10 p.m. Sunday, then rumble 283 miles east of Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, at about midnight Monday. The Kanto Plain should feel some effects, but the worst should be confined well offshore.
Omais is a Palauan word which means wandering around.
