Okinawa is in the midst of a perfect storm of bad weather. Rainy season on Okinawa usually runs from around May 10th to June 23rd, although this year it began 11 days early. Meanwhile typhoon season runs from June 1st to November 30th, but we’ve already had one mild typhoon and a bigger one is on the way.
It's going to be a rainy weekend.
If you’re a photographer and aren’t aware of the effects of continued humidity on your gear please read this previous blog entry: Protecting-your-camera-equipment-from-mould.
If you’re new to Okinawa and aren’t aware of what you need to do before a typhoon hits then here are a few pointers.
Before it gets windy and rainy. Tidy up the garden / balcony. Your neighbors won’t be impressed if they find your parasol embedded in their car windscreen.
Have bottled water for drinking, and fill the bath so that you have water to refill the toilet cistern.
Have some food that you can eat without using electricity or gas.
Have a batteries and flashlights ready before you get a power outage. An LED lantern might also be a good idea.
Have some old towels ready as the strong winds can sometimes push rain under doors and around windows if they aren’t sealed perfectly.
Rent some DVDs / buy a new book / set up an indoor bicycle trainer.
Numerous typhoons hit Okinawa every summer. They are not something you should be worried about, but they are something you should be prepared for.
On a side note, typhoons are important in keeping Okinawa’s coral healthy. The rough seas stir up the ocean, breaking the thermoclines. This stops the surface waters from getting too warm in the summer months which can lead to bleaching of the corals.
TRAVEL 67 : Chris Willson Photography 