Typhoon Dolphin approaches Okinawa with winds up to 216 kph

Typhoon Dolphin, the 13th typhoon of 2026, is tracking westward across the Pacific toward Okinawa and the Amami region with sustained dangerous conditions. As of early August 5, the storm was positioned south of the Ogasawara Islands, moving at 20 kilometers per hour with central pressure of 945 hectopascals, sustained winds of 45 meters per second, and gusts reaching 60 meters per second—equivalent to 216 kilometers per hour.

The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued warnings for multiple hazards across affected regions. Okinawa, the Amami region in Kagoshima Prefecture, and surrounding areas face a 100 percent probability of entering the storm's violent wind zone (gusts exceeding 25 meters per second) within the next five days. The Ogasawara island chain was forecast to experience waves up to 11 meters on August 5, declining to 9 meters on August 6. Wider areas along the Pacific coasts of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, as well as the Izu Islands, are experiencing elevated wave heights of 3 meters or more, with some locations expecting 4–5 meter waves.

Typhoon Dolphin is predicted to approach Okinawa's main island most closely on August 7, where it will maintain strength at approximately 950 hectopascals and 40 meters per second before gradually weakening. Prolonged adverse weather is expected through August 8 due to the storm's large size and slower-than-normal movement speed. The storm will then drift westward into the East China Sea. Meteorologists note particular concern for Okinawa, where the potential development of linear precipitation bands could produce rainfall totals near 400 millimeters. Residents in affected zones are advised to prepare for extended disruptions to transportation, including impacts on aviation and maritime traffic.

Significantly, the Japan Meteorological Agency confirmed that Typhoon Dolphin is not expected to directly impact Kumamoto Prefecture, which was devastated by a magnitude 7.1 earthquake on July 28. However, the agency warned that earthquake-weakened terrain in the region remains vulnerable to landslides even from moderate rainfall, requiring heightened vigilance despite the typhoon's indirect track.

The typhoon's name, Dolphin, was proposed by Hong Kong and references the white dolphin, a representative animal of the territory. Japan's meteorological services also note that August is statistically the month with the highest typhoon occurrence, averaging 5.7 storms annually.