27-5-2023 (Okinawa) Japan’s weather agency, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), announced on Saturday that Typhoon Mawar is forecasted to approach the southwestern prefecture of Okinawa as early as next Tuesday.
As of 3 p.m. local time on Saturday, the JMA reported that Typhoon Mawar was moving westward at a speed of 25 km per hour in the waters east of the Philippines.
According to the JMA, the typhoon is expected to gradually slow down as it moves over the sea and eventually turn north, potentially reaching the Okinawa islands by Tuesday. This could result in high waves affecting the Okinawa and Amami regions.
The JMA also noted that depending on the storm’s trajectory, the Sakishima Islands in Okinawa could experience strong winds starting from Tuesday.
Additionally, the weather agency stated that moist air from the typhoon may intersect with a rain front moving from the Sea of Japan to the Pacific side, leading to an extended period of heavy rainfall across eastern and western Japan.
In light of these developments, the JMA advised the public to stay updated by checking hazard maps and to seek shelter in preparation for the upcoming rainy season.
Typhoon Mawar, the second named storm and the first typhoon of the season, currently has a central atmospheric pressure of 925 hectopascals and is packing winds of up to 180 km per hour near its center, according to the JMA. The maximum wind gusts have reached 252 km per hour.
Gale-force winds, exceeding 90 km per hour, are present within a radius of 185 km from the center of the typhoon, as reported by the JMA.
