Tropical Storm Aere Approaches Okinawa And Amami Islands
Tropical storm Aere is expected to come closest to the area of Okinawa's main island and the Amami Islands in Kagoshima Prefecture late on Saturday.
The Japan Meteorological Agency says that as of 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aere was 110 kilometers east of Naha City in Okinawa Prefecture and moving northwest at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour.
The agency says the storm's central pressure was 994 hectopascals. It had a maximum wind speed of about 83 kilometers per hour, with gusts of 126 kilometers per hour near its center.
Strong winds of more than 54 kilometers per hour were blowing within 440 kilometers east of the center and 220 kilometers to its west.
The storm may approach the southern main island of Kyushu on Monday or later.
Officials are forecasting torrential rains in Okinawa and Kagoshima prefectures until Sunday, with up to 70 millimeters of rainfall per hour in the area of Okinawa's main island on Sunday morning.
Up to 200 millimeters of rain is expected in the area in the 24-hour period through Sunday evening. Up to 100 millimeters is expected in the Amami Islands.
Maximum wind velocity could reach 126 kilometers per hour in those areas.
The typhoon may bring violent winds, depending on how it develops.
There will be rough seas, with waves as high as 6 meters around Okinawa's main island and the Amami Islands.
Weather officials are warning people to watch out for high waves, landslides, strong winds, flooding of low-lying areas, swollen rivers, lightning strikes and sudden gusts of wind.