Typhoons are a regular part of life on Okinawa, and typhoon season runs from July 1st to November 30th. When I first got to the island I had no clue as to what a typhoon was except for what I had seen on television. So to prepare you for a typhoon I started researching typhoons and found tons of information I thought would be useful to other military families. Much of the information was very interesting but absolutely useless, so I will give you the condensed version!
For any of you who have ever experienced a hurricane, you already know what a typhoon is. I thought that since it was called a typhoon it must somehow be different right? Wrong! A typhoon and a hurricane are the same animal. They are tropical cyclones. Depending on which part of the world you are in depends on what it is called. Having lived in coastal North Carolina for hurricanes Fran, Bertha, Bonnie, Dennis and Floyd, I had a pretty good idea of what a typhoon was! Or at least I thought so. In fact I learned a lot writing this article that I'll share with you.
A tropical cyclone is a non-frontal synoptic scale low pressure system over tropical or sub tropical waters with organized convection and definite cyclonic surface wind circulation. Which in English means a strong spinning thunderstorm over warm water.
There are several different levels of tropical cyclones with the first being a tropical depression, which has winds less than 34 knots (kts). (If you are anything like me you probably had no clue how fast a knot is; I learned that 1 mph = 0.864 knots and 1 knot = 1.853 kilometers per hour.) The second level of cyclone is a tropical storm which is reached when winds are higher than 34 kts. Tropical storms are given names. In the Western North Pacific Basin, where we are in Okinawa, the storm names follow an alphabetical list just like in the USA. Unlike the states, the list does not start at “A” every year but instead starts where it left off last year.
At wind speeds of 64 kts the storms are called typhoons, hurricanes, severe tropical cyclones or severe cyclonic storms depending on where you live. In Okinawa the storms are classified as typhoons. Unlike in the USA, typhoons aren't numbered by category on the Saffir Simpson Scale. They are just a typhoon until they reach 130 kts, at which point they become a "super typhoon." Pretty scary sounding, a “super typhoon…” A super typhoon is equal to a strong category 4 or category 5 hurricane in the USA. Any of you who experienced or remember Hurricane Andrew in Florida in 1992 or Hurricane Hugo in South Carolina in 1989, those storms were category 4 hurricanes. If you are old enough to remember Hurricane Camille in Louisiana in 1969, that was a category 5 storm. So you can see a super typhoon hitting an island that is only 67 miles long and 17 miles wide at its widest point is not a good thing. This is why the military takes typhoon conditions very seriously.
When there is a tropical cyclone in the area you will begin hearing typhoon conditions broadcast on the radio and on AFN television. The first condition is Typhoon Condition 4 (TC-4). During TC-4 conditions, destructive winds of 50 knots or greater may possibly hit the island within the next 72 hours. You will be told to get your typhoon pack together if you don't already have one on hand. During TC-3 conditions, destructive winds of 50 knots or greater are likely to hit within 48 hours. At this point you are told to pick up any loose items in your yard. During TC-2 conditions, destructive winds of 50 knots or greater are due to arrive within 24 hours. At this time you will be told to secure or store all outside items like picnic tables, plants, toys etc. Anything that can fly in a typhoon should be secured or strapped down. During TC-1 conditions, winds of 50 knots or greater are likely to hit within 12 hours. At this point you are told to fill any containers with water and make sure you have all you will need to make it through the storm. (If a super typhoon is expected, be sure to clean and fill your bathtub(s) with water.)
During TC-1C Caution/Charlie conditions, winds are blowing 34 to 49 knots on the island and are expected to reach 50 knots within 12 hours. At this point everything on base closes and all non-essential military personnel are told to go home and stay there to ride out the storm. During TC-1E - Emergency/ Echo conditions, destructive winds of 50 knots or greater are hitting island. Power and water may go out. You are warned not to go outside. During TC-1R - Recovery/Romeo conditions, destructive winds of 50 knots are gone but actual winds are 34 to 49 knots. No one should go outside unless they are on pre-designated emergency clean up crews. Dangerous conditions still exist due to power lines and trees being down. During TC-SW - Storm Watch conditions, the storm is moving away but there is still a chance of danger with an unpredictable typhoon (such as Nari). Base stores can reopen within 2 hours. Finally, at TC-AC - All Clear, hazardous conditions are no longer present but residents are urged to use caution.
Although most typhoons seem to be just a bother or a good excuse to have a party, some may be very dangerous. So I urge you to take the storms seriously and have your Typhoon Pack already on hand - especially if you have kids. The basic rule of thumb is a 4-day supply for each family member. Things you should have on hand are:
- 4 day supply of food and water
- bottled water, canned food, non-perishable snacks
- hammer, nails, cardboard and duct tape in case a window breaks
- blankets, mops and towels to sop up water
- flashlights, candles, batteries AND extra batteries, matches, and a water proof lighter
- battery operated radio
- first aid kit
- charcoal, lighter fluid and a grill
- If you have pets you need at least a 4 day supply of pet food
- If you have a baby you should have diapers, formula, pull ups, baby food, extra bottled water and any favorite snacks
- To relieve boredom rent movies and have games on hand
I hope I have contributed to your understanding and knowledge of typhoons. Although typhoons can be very serious, they usually lead to a day off and can give you some quality time at home. So enjoy but be cautious!
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