It is Sunday morning around 8am, July 31 2011. The final day of July!

Overnight tropical storm Muifa intensified significantly and is now SUPER TYPHOON MUIFA.
The name is from Macao, China and means ‘plum blossom’, isn’t that sweet and lovely?
But if Muifa continues on the projected path, it could strike Okinawa with some very powerful winds and pounding rain this coming Wednesday thru Friday, the strongest winds are forecast for Thursday.
Now that does not sound so sweet and lovely . . . . 

Saturday afternoon I was at an event and talked with an Okinawa guy who works in the emergency/disaster preparedness field. At that time the JTWC was forecasting Typhoon Muifa to track north of Okinawa, with winds around 110knots. But he said it was very unpredictable (as are most typhoons) and there was a good chance it would strengthen into a powerful storm and turn westerly coming very close to Okinawa, with winds stronger than Songda.
Late last night I noticed the online forecasts had upgraded the storm’s intensity and the tracking was closer to Okinawa.

This morning, it is looking like a very menacing storm having wind speeds increase significantly in about 12 hours since it is churning over very warm ocean water, picking up energy.
Even if Muifa tracks close to Okinawa with very strong winds, it appears to be moving fairly quickly on that track and will zip by without stalling out over or near Okinawa (like many typhoons used to do).

It is still too early to predict when and where this will curve or turn, but by Tuesday we will likely know. So enjoy the next few days of fine Okinawa summer weather.

The other prediction is for a track of crazy comments to be posted on the KAB FB page for this storm. 

Good times.... Looks like we will have to do some cleanup. Hopefully folks will tie/ secure their crap this time. 

Hopefully folks will tie/ secure their crap this time. 

This one won't be as bad if it stays on the East side. 

This one won't be as bad if it stays on the East side. 

True... hopefully it will take a couple more 90 degree turns and miss us completely!! 

The worst ones I've seen all came across from the West side of the island. When they do that they snap every tree that's been conditioned to lean West from all of the past typhoons. 

Hopefully folks will tie/ secure their crap this time. 

Is this towards me?? Your no longer in my hood, and jellybean should be home this time..lol BTW you rescued the peoples upstairs crap i put sand bags in my trash cans.. :c)
Oh i looked out today to expect hot bald guy washing his car since a storm is coming, and sadly your house is empty. :c( No more eye candy as i drink my coffee.. 

Is this towards me?? Your no longer in my hood, and jellybean should be home this time..lol BTW you rescued the peoples upstairs crap i put sand bags in my trash cans.. :c)
Oh i looked out today to expect hot bald guy washing his car since a storm is coming, and sadly your house is empty. :c( No more eye candy as i drink my coffee.. 

LOL.... nah- not towards you. This is towards the ones who left their HUGE grill out that turned into a projectile!!

You know what's really funny- I just got done washing my car!! If I can use your water I'll come over and wash my car in your driveway!

On a serious note if you all need help getting ready lmk- I'd be more than happy to come over and help. \m/ 

i need a team to go and steal all the play houses un the hill and sell them on OYS for typhoon party money, since you know none of them will tie that shiz down this time either. 

Everyone stay safe. Seems like a pretty big one so far. 

i need a team to go and steal all the play houses un the hill and sell them on OYS for typhoon party money, since you know none of them will tie that shiz down this time either. 

I'm in!! - when do you want to start? 

If I can use your water I'll come over and wash your car in your driveway! 

I'm in!! - when do you want to start?

as soon as they all leave to buy their typhoon supplies.. so you know.. thursday morning? 

come over and wash your car

I C what you did there!!

LOL- are you supplying the beverages? 

According to the noon tracker the eye is coming right past us!! 

NM 

As i drove around Kadena today, I was eyeing over all the crap that will blow away. I bet you it will be people who don't tie down stuff that will re buy their stuff on OYS... LOL
I can here the sob stories now, oh i owned one of these looked just like this one but i didn't tie it down and now its gone. The child won't stop screaming either so now i have to buy another one. 

I can here the sob stories now, oh i owned one of these looked just like this one but i didn't tie it down and now its gone. The child won't stop screaming either so now i have to buy another one. 

And since 90% of the crap they buy is at the BX there is no way they can prove it didn't come from there!! WIN 

And since 90% of the crap they buy is at the BX there is no way they can prove it didn't come from there!! WIN 

cha ching... 

The Japanese TV and Internet forecasts/predictions show this typhoon eye/center moving from SE to NW just off the southern coast of Okinawa main island .
JTWC has the center crossing over the island very close to to Kadena base.
But wherever it crosses , this will be a very "bad" typhoon; especially for those who have been here only a few years. In 2007 powerful Man-yi side-smacked the island.

The Japanese forecasts now have that "sideways leaning, full open umbrella and with many raindrops" symbol for both Thursday and Friday. 

JTWC has the center crossing over the island very close to to Kadena base.

That little red dot is not exact. 

Sto , Paul.. if you all had to guess, when would we go on TCCOR 1? 

Typically we "go" to TCCOR 1 sometime after we are in TCCOR 2.

TC1 is primarily to get kids out of the schools or keep them home; not an issue now since it is summer holiday.

Most people (Americans) are more concerned about when TC1C and 1E are "forecast" to be declared.

Most Okinawans are concerned about when the buses and monorail stop running, the bars and izakayas close and when the "konbini" stores shut off their lights and lock the doors. 

Sto , Paul.. if you all had to guess, when would we go on TCCOR 1?

Like sToO said, TC-1 is primarily to get the kids home, it controls the bus schedule.

I would expect you see TC-1C after midnight Wednesday. The current leaders have been more cautious than in past years. Before we would be at work right up until a few hours before the storm really hit. The last few typhoons they've been making the calls earlier.

I doubt you'd go to work on Thursday if it keeps this course and speed. 

I doubt you'd go to work on Thursday if it keeps this course and speed.

I wish... we are planning on working until the last minute. Probably noon Thurs. 

Thanks somoene has Duty friday and I was guessing if I am enjoying this little raining alone or not 

We had an email passed today stating at 0400 Thursday we will be in TC-1c? which ever it is to keep us home, and won't go into recovery until 1630 on friday.. Sooo this might turn out to be the FREE days off with pay that i've been needing :c) 

I was here when Man-yi hit in 2007...that was fun times! I am supposed to go for a 3 hours test starting at 7:30 am Thursday...not sure why they scheduled it then but...I believe we are all ready for this thing, I'm sure we will lose power as we are like the first ones that usually do...yay for New chatan housing on Foster! 

The latest Stripes article says this one will be the biggest one to hit Oki in 12 years, if it continues as it is now. 

The latest Stripes article says this one will be the biggest one to hit Oki in 12 years, if it continues as it is now.

I just saw that too...my neighbors to the right and left of me better pick up their crap outside! They didnt in May and well our cars were the ones hit with their trash can!!!