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Nepartak makes its way across northern Honshu, forecast to dissipate in the Sea of Japan on Thursday.

Nepartak makes its way across northern Honshu, forecast to dissipate in the Sea of Japan on Thursday. (Joint Typhoon Warning Center)

5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 28, Japan time: Closest point of approach by Tropical Depression Nepartak to Misawa Air Base has come and gone. Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecasts Nepartak to finish crossing northern Honshu, exit and dissipate over the Sea of Japan on Thursday.

At 3 p.m., Nepartak was 50 miles west-southwest of Misawa, moving briskly northwest at 18 mph with 35-mph sustained winds and 46-mph gusts. The base remains in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness Storm Watch, according to the base weather flight.

Barring any unexpected developments, this is Storm Tracker’s final report on Nepartak.

***

Noon Wednesday, July 28, Japan time: Nepartak, downgraded to a tropical depression by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, made landfall at 9 a.m. Wednesday near Kesennuma in Miyagi Prefecture. It’s making its way across northern Honshu toward eventual dissipation over the Sea of Japan (East Sea) as the weekend approaches.

At 9 a.m., Nepartak was 92 miles south-southeast of Misawa Air Base, moving briskly northwest at 15 mph with 35-mph sustained winds and 46-mph gusts at center. Misawa remains in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness Storm Watch, according to the base weather flight.

JTWC forecasts Nepartak to continue northwest, pass 77 miles southwest of Misawa at 3 p.m. Wednesday and move back over water in the Sea of Japan by evening.

***

6 a.m. Wednesday, July 28, Japan time: It won’t be a typhoon-esque day by any means. But Misawa Air Base can brace Wednesday for gusty winds and rain throughout the day into Thursday as Tropical Storm Nepartak passes southwest Wednesday evening as a tropical depression, according to Joint Typhoon Warning Center and Misawa’s weather flight.

At 3 a.m., Nepartak was 184 miles south-southeast of Misawa, moving briskly north at 16 mph with 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts at center. Misawa remains in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness Storm Watch.

Expect easterly 29-mph sustained winds and 40-mph gusts throughout Wednesday with rain and mist, according to the Weather Flight forecast, with rain persisting into Thursday morning, with isolated showers in the afternoon.

If Nepartak stays on present heading, JTWC projects it to make landfall between Miyagi and Iwate Prefectures, cross northern Honshu through Wednesday, passing 100 miles southwest of Misawa at 4 p.m. Wednesday, with 29-mph sustained winds and 40-mph gusts, before emerging back over water in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) and dissipating as the weekend approaches.

***

11:50 p.m. Tuesday, July 27, Japan time: Tropical Storm Nepartak has weakened some as it continues its north-northwesterly charge toward forecast landfall at mid-morning Wednesday as a tropical depression, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

At 9 p.m., Nepartak was 279 miles south-southeast of Misawa Air Base and 154 miles east-northeast of Yokosuka Naval Base, grinding north-northwest at 7 mph with 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts at center. Misawa remains in Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness Storm Watch.

If Nepartak stays on present course, JTWC forecasts Nepartak to weaken to a tropical depression just before reaching shore in northern Honshu a bit north of Sendai, packing 35-mph sustained winds and 46-mph gusts as it passes 131 miles southwest of Misawa at 7 p.m. Friday. It should then re-emerge over water and dissipate in the Sea of Japan (East Sea) as weekend approaches.

***

5:45 p.m. Tuesday, July 27, Japan time: After making a hairpin right turn earlier Tuesday, Tropical Storm Nepartak is rumbling almost due north and remains on course to make landfall near Sendai on Honshu’s northeast coast, just past sunrise Wednesday, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

At 3 p.m., Nepartak was 150 miles east-northeast of Yokosuka Naval Base, heading north-northwest at 11 mph and holding steady at 52-mph sustained winds and 63-mph gusts at center. Misawa Air Base remains under Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness Storm Watch.

Closest points of approach to Yokosuka and other U.S. bases in the Kanto Plain have come and gone. If Nepartak remains on present heading, JTWC projects it to come ashore at about 6 a.m. Wednesday, weaken into a tropical depression as it passes 110 miles southwest of Misawa and back into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) at mid-afternoon Wednesday.

As it skirts the east coast of Honshu, Nepartak continues to put its imprint on the Summer Olympic Games, forcing some surfing events to be pushed up to Tuesday from Wednesday. At the least, it gave competitors some big waves to hang 10 on. More to come later tonight.

***

3:20 p.m. Tuesday, July 27, Japan time: Misawa Air Base has entered Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness Storm Watch, in advance of Tropical Storm Nepartak, according to Misawa’s weather flight.

***

1:15 p.m. Tuesday, July 27, Japan time: Slowly, Tropical Storm Nepartak has turned sharply north-northwest, continuing its journey toward forecast landfall over northern Honshu late Tuesday into Wednesday.

It has strengthened some, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, and gusty winds and rain remain in the cards for Yokosuka Naval Base and Misawa Air Base, according to their local weather forecasts.

At 9 a.m., Nepartak was 161 miles east of Yokosuka and crawling north-northwest at 4 mph with 52-mph sustained winds and 63-mph gusts at center.

If it remains on present heading, JTWC projects Nepartak to pass 156 miles northeast of Yokota Air Base at 6 p.m. Tuesday, cross northern Honshu overnight Tuesday and pass 118 miles southwest of Misawa at 1 p.m. Wednesday, then move back over water into the Sea of Japan (East Sea) and dissipate as the weekend approaches.

***

6:15 a.m. Tuesday, July 27, Japan time: It’s starting to get somewhat breezy and showery in the Tokyo area, as Tropical Storm Nepartak’s latest track shows it having lurched closer to the Kanto Plain, preceding a forecast sharp turn northwest, with landfall expected early Wednesday morning near Sendai in northern Honshu.

At 3 a.m., Nepartak was 176 miles east-southeast of Yokosuka Naval Base, moving quickly west at 21 mph and had strengthened slightly, to 46-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts. Joint Typhoon Warning Center indicates that Nepartak has reached peak intensity and should weaken slightly as it comes ashore around 3 a.m. Wednesday.

JTWC forecasts Nepartak to pass a bit closer to the Tokyo area, but not too much closer, 154 miles northeast of Yokota Air Base at about 6 p.m. Tuesday, then 122 miles southwest of Misawa Air Base at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

***

Midnight Monday, July 26, Japan time: Joint Typhoon Warning Center’s latest forecast track has Tropical Storm Nepartak passing northeast of Tokyo at mid-day Tuesday, crossing north-central Honshu southwest of Misawa Air Base with plenty of gusts and rain forecast Wednesday into Thursday.

Though Nepartak is not due to directly impact Tokyo, some Olympic events have been postponed to be on the safe side. According to The Associated Press, the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo have made adjustments to their archery, rowing and sailing schedules, postponing Tuesday’s archery sessions to Wednesday and Thursday – the first such alterations to the archery slate due to weather.

At 9 p.m., Nepartak was 276 miles east of Yokosuka Naval Base, moving at a brisk pace west-northwest at 22 mph and holding steady at 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts at center.

If Nepartak remains on present course, JTWC projects it to peak at 46-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts as it curves north-northwest, passing 177 miles northeast of Yokota Air Base at 1 p.m. Tuesday, then weaken back to 40-mph sustained and 52-mph gusts before making landfall late Tuesday over Miyagi Prefecture in northeast Honshu.

JTWC forecasts Nepartak to pass 106 miles southwest of Misawa at 7 a.m. Wednesday before hitting open water again over the Sea of Japan (East Sea), dissipating as a tropical depression from there.

Easterly winds are forecast to pick up at Misawa overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, peaking at 29-mph sustained winds and 40-mph gusts with rain and showers through Wednesday into Thursday, according to the base’s weather flight.

Yokosuka’s weather outlook calls for northeasterly winds between 18- and 23-mph sustained with 35-mph gusts Tuesday afternoon, diminishing overnight, then shifting southerly, again between 18- and 23-mph sustained and 35-mph gusts overnight Wednesday into Thursday with rain and thunderstorms possible from Nepartak’s outer bands.

Should be an interesting couple of days. Not an Olympic-sized storm, but still significant enough to impact the Games. Storm Tracker has the watch.

***

6 p.m. Monday, July 26, Japan time: Slight change in Tropical Storm Nepartak’s forecast itinerary. Joint Typhoon Warning Center’s latest track has Nepartak doing a zig-zag walk over the next couple of days, pushing a tad closer to the Tokyo area, but not that much closer, and still as middling tropical storm.

At 3 p.m., Nepartak was 405 miles east of Yokosuka Naval Base, tracking west-northwest at 19 mph and holding steady at 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts at center.

If it remains on current heading, JTWC projects Nepartak to peak at 46-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts as it races headline for Honshu, curving north-northwest away from the Tokyo area and making landfall early Wednesday with 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts as it roars ashore.

JTWC forecasts Nepartak to pass 173 miles north-northeast of Yokota Air Base at 5 p.m. Tuesday and 100 miles southwest of Misawa Air Base at 11 a.m. Wednesday. This is a bit of a change from previous forecast tracks, but still a fairly generous distance away from the Tokyo area.

Misawa weather flight’s forecast continues to call for winds picking up Wednesday with rain and showers and easterly 29-mph sustained winds and 40-mph gusts in the morning, shifting southeast and diminishing to 23-mph sustained winds and 35-mph gusts in the evening.

Yokosuka’s extended forecast continues to show rain picking up Tuesday, northwesterly winds between 18- and 23-mph sustained and 35-mph gusts, shifting southwest in the evening into Wednesday morning and diminishing from there.

***

11:15 a.m. Monday, July 26, Japan time: Tropical Storm Nepartak remains forecast to rumble over northern Honshu on Wednesday, and according to local weather forecasts at Misawa Air Base and Yokosuka Naval Base, the area can expect gusty winds and quite a bit of rain at mid-week.

At 9 a.m., Nepartak was 588 miles east of Yokosuka and had begun curving northwest at 8 mph and holding steady at 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts at center, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

If Nepartak remains on present heading, JTWC projects it to pick up forward speed as it hurtles northwest, peaking at 46-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts at center, making landfall at 9 a.m. Wednesday over northern Miyagi Prefecture with 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts.

Nepartak is forecast to pass 77 miles southwest of Misawa at 10 p.m. Wednesday and 232 miles north-northeast of Yokota Air Base at midnight Tuesday.

Misawa weather flight’s forecast calls for winds picking up Wednesday with rain and showers and easterly 29-mph sustained winds and 40-mph gusts in the morning, shifting southeast and diminishing to 23-mph sustained winds and 35-mph gusts in the evening.

Yokosuka’s extended forecast has rain picking up Tuesday, northwesterly winds between 18- and 23-mph sustained and 35-mph gusts, shifting southwest in the evening into Wednesday morning and diminishing from there.

In short, Nepartak won’t be an Olympic-sized tropical cyclone, but enough to make it wet and blustery for a couple of days.

***

6:15 a.m. Monday, July 26, Japan time: Tropical Storm Nepartak has picked up forward speed and is getting ready to curve northwest toward forecast landfall early Wednesday morning well north of Tokyo and just south of Misawa Air Base, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

At 3 a.m., Nepartak was 628 miles east-southeast of Yokosuka Naval Base, moving north-northwest at 13 mph and holding steady at 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts at center.

If Nepartak stays on present heading, JTWC projects it to peak at 46-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts early Tuesday morning, pick up forward speed and come ashore at about 3 a.m. Wednesday, with 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts at center.

JTWC forecasts Nepartak to pass 84 miles southwest of Misawa at 2 p.m. Wednesday and 235 miles north-northeast of Yokota Air Base at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Misawa’s weather flight continues to call for rain picking up, heavy at times, Tuesday with northeasterly sustained 23-mph winds and 35-mph gusts.

Yokosuka’s weather forecast also predicts rain with winds ranging from northwesterly to southwesterly, peaking Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday, between 18- and 23-mph sustained with gusts up to 35 mph. Could have some effect on Olympic events, yes; already, organizers have postponed some. Storm Tracker has the watch.

***

12:15 a.m. Monday, July 26, Japan time: Tropical Storm Nepartak remains forecast to veer well north of Tokyo, making landfall at mid-evening Tuesday just south of Misawa Air Base before crossing into the Sea of Japan as a tropical depression, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

At 9 p.m., Nepartak was 666 miles southeast of Yokosuka Naval Base, heading north at 7 mph and holding steady at 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts at center. U.S. bases in central and northeastern Honshu remain in seasonal tropical cyclone conditions of readiness.

If Nepartak remains on present heading, JTWC projects it to curve northwest, peak at 46-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts at mid-evening Monday, weakening slightly before it makes landfall at about 9 p.m. Tuesday over Iwate Prefecture.

JTWC forecasts Nepartak to pass 230 miles north-northeast of Yokota Air Base at 6 p.m. Tuesday and 105 miles southwest of Misawa at 7 a.m. Wednesday.

Misawa’s weather flight extended forecast calls for rain picking up Tuesday, with northeasterly sustained 23-mph winds and 35-mph gusts as Nepartak nears.

Regarding the 32nd Summer Olympic Games, though the forecast shows Nepartak to be no threat to Tokyo at the moment, organizers are taking no chances. Some events scheduled for the early part of the week have been postponed. And face it; it is weather we’re talking. Nothing wrong with an abundance of caution. Storm Tracker has the watch.

***

7 a.m. Sunday, July 25, Japan time: Nepartak continues to barely cling to tropical storm status and is forecast by Joint Typhoon Warning Center to cross north Honshu between Misawa Air Base and Tokyo on Wednesday as a tropical depression.

At 3 a.m., Nepartak was 773 miles southeast of Yokosuka Naval Base, moving north at 9 mph with 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts.

JTWC forecasts Nepartak to weaken back to a tropical depression early Monday, crossing Honshu 152 miles north of Yokosuka, 139 miles north-northeast of Yokota Air Base and 214 miles southwest of Misawa between 2 p.m. Wednesday and 7 a.m. Thursday.

***

9 p.m. Saturday, July 24, Japan time: Not much change from the last report. Tropical Storm Nepartak has picked up forward speed and remains forecast by Joint Typhoon Warning Center to pass through north-central Honshu Tuesday into Wednesday, splitting the difference between Misawa Air Base and U.S. bases in the Kanto Plain.

At 3 p.m., Nepartak was 868 miles southeast of Yokosuka Naval Base, traveling north at 12 mph and holding steady at 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts at center.

JTWC projects Nepartak to peak at 52-mph sustained winds and 63-mph gusts early Monday, passing 202 miles north-northeast of Yokosuka, 197 miles northeast of Yokota Air Base and 131 miles southwest of Misawa between 8 p.m. Tuesday and 2 p.m. Wednesday as a tropical depression.

***

12:30 p.m. Saturday, July 24, Japan time: Tropical Storm Nepartak has slowed in its journey north and is holding steady at 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

If it remains on present course, Nepartak is forecast to peak at 52-mph sustained winds and 63-mph gusts at mid-morning Sunday, curve northwest, weaken as it goes and come ashore 132 miles north of Yokota Air Base and 135 miles north of Yokosuka Naval Base between 9 p.m. Tuesday and 1 a.m. Wednesday as a tropical depression.

***

6:30 a.m. Saturday, July 24, Japan time: Nepartak was quickly upgraded to a tropical storm overnight Friday by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, but its latest forecast track takes it further north of Tokyo than previously reported, at mid-evening Tuesday and as a tropical depression.

At 3 a.m., Nepartak was 920 miles southeast of Yokosuka Naval Base, headed northeast at 13 mph with 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts at center. U.S. bases in the Kanto Plain remain in seasonal Tropical Cyclone Conditions of Readiness.

If Nepartak stays on present heading, JTWC projects it to curve north, peak at mid-afternoon Sunday as a middling tropical storm, 52-mph sustained winds and 63-mph gusts, then curve northwest, weakening as it goes, and reach landfall at mid-evening Tuesday as a tropical depression.

JTWC forecasts Nepartak to pass 153 miles northeast of Yokota Air Base and 159 miles northeast of Yokosuka Naval Base between 7 and 10 p.m. Tuesday.

***

Midnight Friday, July 23, Japan time: And how about that? Just in time for the start of the 32nd Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Tropical Depression Nepartak has formed southeast of the Kanto Plain and could provide the athletes from the 206 countries at the Games something they rarely see, a tropical weather anomaly.

At 9 p.m., Nepartak was 944 miles southeast of Yokosuka Naval Base, moving briskly northeast at 9 mph with 35-mph sustained winds and 46-mph gusts at center, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

If Nepartak stays on present course, JTWC projects it to make a wide swath north, peaking at 58-mph sustained winds and 75-mph gusts at mid-morning Sunday, then turning northwest, making landfall at mid-evening Tuesday near Sendai on Honshu’s east coast as a middling tropical storm, 46-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts.

Nepartak is forecast by JTWC to pass 121 miles north-northeast of Yokosuka and 114 miles north-northeast of Yokota Air Base between 7 and 10 p.m. Tuesday. As currently forecast, Nepartak should likely not be much of a bother to Tokyo and the Games, but one never knows. Storm Tracker has the watch.

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Dave Ornauer has been employed by or assigned to Stars and Stripes Pacific almost continuously since March 5, 1981. He covers interservice and high school sports at DODEA-Pacific schools and manages the Pacific Storm Tracker.

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