The Weather Channel reports that “Typhoon Neoguri, the strongest typhoon so far in the 2014 Western Pacific season, is churning northward toward mainland Japan after roaring through the Ryukyu Island chain of far southern Japan, including Okinawa. Parts of the Japanese mainland will feel Neoguri’s effects over the next 48 hours.”  

The piece continues: “Kadena Air Base, the U.S. military installation on the island of Okinawa and the biggest U.S. air base in Asia, measured a peak wind gust to 101 mph Tuesday, with sustained winds as high as 74 mph, according to official weather observations at the base. The base declared its highest level of alert, Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness (TCCOR) 1-Emergency on Tuesday morning Japanese time (Monday evening U.S. time).”  

“The eye of Neoguri passed about 125 miles west of Kadena Air Base and the city of Naha, the prefectural capital, on Tuesday. The left-hand (western) side of the eyewall passed over the island of Miyakojima, but the stronger right-hand (eastern) side passed over open water between Miyakojima and Kumejima.”