IMPORTANT INFORMATION
TYPHOONS Okinawa is the largest island of the Ryukyu Archipelago, which is located in the subtropical region south of Mainland Japan. Average temperatures on the island hover around 81˚F from May until midSeptember and around 60˚F in the winter. While this can be considered quite comfortable, the hot, humid summers can spawn intense storms called typhoons. Known as hurricanes in the United States, these powerful weather systems occur when the warm water of the southern Pacific Ocean (between the Philippines and Guam) combines with cooler
air from higher latitudes. Oftentimes, a typhoon will start near the Mariana Islands and travel northwest toward Okinawa and Mainland Japan. Okinawa is equipped with a sophisticated tracking system that warns island residents well in advance of an approaching storm. Typhoon tips and precautions are broadcast over AFN TV and radio, and current updates can also be found at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (usno.navy.mil/JTWC) and at Kadena Weather (kadena. af.mil/agencies/ local-weather).
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