CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — Okinawa’s first typhoon may affect the island with mild winds and rain before the official June 1 start of the Typhoon season.
According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Hawaii, Typhoon Nida, now approaching the Philippines, is expected to make a sharp turn to the northeast Monday and make a run toward Okinawa. The closest point of approach was forecast to be about 182 miles east of Okinawa by 9 a.m. Thursday.
Winds at the center of the storm at that time are expected to blow at a sustained 115 mph with gusts to 144 mph.
If Nida, a common name for a woman in Thailand, continues to move as forecast, no damaging winds are expected on Okinawa. However, all U.S. military bases went into Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 4 at 1:45 p.m. Sunday, meaning destructive winds of 57 mph or more were possible within 72 hours.
TCCOR 4 is in effect on Okinawa continuously from June 1 to Nov. 30.