Rainfall in Okinawa reaches record high in July, 3.3 times more precipitation than usual

Rainfall in Okinawa reaches record high in July, 3.3 times more precipitation than usual

On July 5 at Maezato in Ishigaki City, National Route 390 was flooded with heavy rain.


August 2, 2018 Ryukyu Shimpo

On August 1, the Okinawa Meteorological Observatory announced that the regional average precipitation in the Okinawa region in July this year was 3.3 times more than the average year. This was the greatest amount since these statistics started being recorded in 1946, rivaling the rainfalls in 1972. Especially in early July, typhoons approached one after another, 10.5 times more than in the average year. This July, four places in Okinawa achieved a new record monthly rainfall, and all records are from July.

Regional average precipitation was calculated from five places: Naha, Kumejima, Miyakojima, Ishigakijima, and Yonagunijima. In Ishigakijima the precipitation was 536 mm, 411% of the average year, and in Miyakojima precipitation was 517 mm, 395% of the average year.

The Okinawa Meteorological Observatory explained, “There was a strong Pacific anticyclone approaching Honshu. Typhoons, tropical cyclones, and moist air easily flowed into the Okinawa region.” With the influence of Typhoons No. 7 and No. 8 at the beginning of July, the amount of precipitation in Ishigakijima was 17.4 times more than in the average year, and nearly 10 times in Naha. There have been many sunny days since mid-July.

At Shimoji, Kagamihara, and Gusukube in Miyakojima City, and at Nakasuji in Tarama Village, July marked a new record high for precipitation. The anticyclone over the Okinawa region was weak, and the lowest average temperature in July was recorded at Oku in Kunigami Village and Miyagijima in Uruma City. All places received less hours of sunlight compared with the average year.

(English translation by T&CT and Megumi Chibana)　

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