U.S. military bases on Okinawa Island, a Japanese island with over 1.4 million inhabitants, is bracing for the imminent landfall of a powerful Typhoon. Typhoon Danas, the 24th typhoon of the year, is racing towards Okinawa at over 24mph with maximum sustained winds of 120mph, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Danas is expected to continue to strengthen and possibly make landfall near the northern end of the island on Monday, with maximum sustained winds of 130mph (Category 4) with gusts up to 160mph.

Update 10/6 9:30 pm ET: Maximum sustained winds have now increased to 130 mph (115 knots) with gusts to 160 mph, making Typhoon Danas an extremely dangerous Category 4 strength tropical cyclone. According to JTWC, Danas is now located approximately 159 miles east-southeast of Kadena Air force Base in Okinawa, Japan. Wave heights to 45 feet near the center of the storm can be expected.

According to Wiki: The United States maintains Air Force, Marine, Navy, and Army military installations on the islands. These bases include Kadena Air Base, Camp Foster, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Camp Hansen, Camp Schwab, Torii Station, and Camp Kinser. The area of 14 U.S. bases are 233 square kilometres (90 sq mi), occupying 18% of the main island. Okinawa hosts about two-thirds of the 40,000 American forces in Japan.

Below is an animated radar showing the approach of Typhoon Danas courtesy of Brian McNoldy (Okinawa Island is near the left hand side of the image):

Update 10/7 2:35am ET: The eyewall of powerful Typhoon Danas is coming onshore over northern Okinawa island:

The latest forecast track of Typhoon Danas by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (Click to enlarge):

According to the latest military bulletin on Stripes.com:



2 a.m. Monday, Oct. 7, Japan time: U.S. bases on Okinawa entered Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness 1 at 2 a.m. Destructive winds of 58 mph or greater are anticipated within 12 hours. Sasebo Naval Base remains in TCCOR 3. Latest wind forecast timeline from Kadena Air Base’s 18th Wing Weather Flight and Fleet Activities Sasebo weather pages: Okinawa Sustained 40-mph winds, from 9 a.m. Monday.

Sustained 58-mph winds, from 2 p.m. Monday.

Peak 81-mph winds, 104-mph gusts, 7 p.m. Monday.

Winds diminishing below 58 mph, 11 p.m. Monday.

Winds diminishing below 40 mph, 2 a.m. Tuesday.



Below is the latest animated satellite images showing Danas’ approach towards Okinawa:

