Typhoon No. 18 (Chaba) has passed over Okinawa and is predicted to continue heading towards Kyushu this evening. The typhoon is expected to make landfall in Kyushu tomorrow morning (Oct. 5). Earlier today, wind speeds peaked at 59.7m/s (133 mph/214kph) at Kumejima Airport in Okinawa. Okinawa has since called off all emergency warnings. After reaching northern Kyushu, the typhoon will shift its route towards the east and move along the north coast of Kyushu and Honshu. Stormy weather is to be expected from this evening until tomorrow afternoon. The estimated maximum wind speed is predicted to be: 50m/s in northern Kyushu, 45m/s in Chugoku area, and 30~35m/s in the Okinawa, Shikoku, and Hokuriku regions. The air pressure at the center of the typhoon will be 915 hPa and waves off the coast of northern Kyushu are expected to be as high as 10m. High rainfall is expected in the early hours of the morning with over 50mm/hr in some areas of Kyushu and Shikoku. Rainfall by tomorrow noon: 180mm in northern Kyushu, 150mm in southern Kyushu. Stay safe and please watch for further warnings of violent winds, heavy rainfall, and landslides. (information as of Oct. 4 (Tue.) at 15:12) For up-to-date tropical cyclone information, access here: http://www.jma.go.jp/en/typh/161824.html
Announcements of Typhoon Related Closures
Fukuoka City has announced the closure of some schools for Oct. 5. As of Oct. 4, 15:00 Kindergarten: x 7, Elementary school: x 143, Junior high school: x 69, High school: x 4 and Special education school: x 8 will not open. Source: Fukuoka City website, 10/3