Typhoon Talk

First typhoon of the season hit Okinawa on July 8th.  It definitely came in with a bang!!!   We've been here for a few years now and we've learned that typhoons aren't really that bad.  Its a lot of wind and a lot of rain.  We normally just hang out inside, watch movies, and cook up a bunch of food.   Its pretty standard, don't want to be outside in all the mess.  Plus you would probably get blown away.  We really just have family time and its nice to hang out together.

During typhoon season we like to keep stuff on hand, just in case one hits.   Usually we get a couple days notice before one hits and they can come back to back.   Being prepared at all times is key.  For our "typhoon kit"  we keep water , batteries, flashlights, canned food, and candles.    Plus the grocery store gets nuts before one hits, since most people are stocking up for the typhoon.  When I hear about a typhoon hitting I usually only have to grab a few things at the store, just a hit and run.

Typhoon Neoguri was originally forecast as a category 5 super typhoon. BTW category 5 is the highest category! I usually don't freak out, but when I saw that locals were freaking, I knew I should be worried.  So I bought  extra just in case.  The typhoon was expected to hit late afternoon on Tuesday July 8th.  Winds already started picking up on Monday morning July 7th.  I wanted to take the kids out to play at a park, but Nolan got sick and we had to spend Monday hanging at the hospital.  By the time the kids and I got home, Morgan got home, so we had to prepare.  Morgan was outside tying things down and putting stuff away.  I was inside getting all the typhoon gear out so we wouldn't have to search for it.  I was also doing laundry.  haha During typhoons there is a lot of downtime so folding laundry is a perfect activity.

The typhoon came Tuesday.  Luckily it hit Okinawa as a cat 3 and not a cat 5.  There was lots of wind and rain.  I always get a lil nervous.... the winds were just so crazy.  But the houses and building on Oki are built to withstand typhoons, still nerve wracking tho.  People on Facebook were posting pics , it looked pretty bad out.  We just hunkered down, ate, and watched movies.  We did loose power for a few hours.  That was lame because that means no ac and it was getting humid.  We were lucky to only loose it for a few hours, I've had friends that lost it for a full 12 hours.  In our neck of the woods the typhoon was pretty uneventful.  It did hang out on the coast a lil longer then expected and did bring a down pour of rain, thunder, and lighting.  I believe the estimate rain fall was 34 inches.   There was flooding all around town.  After all is said and done, there was lots of damage all over the island.  Unfortunately I did hear of 2 deaths. For us, we were fortunate to not have any damages from the storm.  Wednesday after we got the all clear , Morgan was out cleaning up all the debris and untying the outdoor stuff.  Once the power came back on {Wed. afternoon} I started clean up inside.

Nolan playing with his Hot Wheels

Amelia watching on her Ipad

Hanging in bed watching Netflix

Made some Turon

Made some spicy kimchee soup

Hopefully that was the worst one of the season.  There is even another typhoon forming, hopefully it doesn't pass us or it dissipates.   Typhoon season is here and we're ready.



Pictures of damages throughout the island//

{Not my photo}
Car flipped over on base

                              

{Not my photo}
Car crushed by fallen tree

{Not my photo}
Restaurant in Naha 

{Not my photo}
Flooding

{Not my photo}
flooding

Typhoon Party!?!?!

Living on a beautiful tropical island such as Okinawa is wonderful!  It also has it's drawbacks one HUGE drawback would be typhoons!  Growing up in San Diego I was not well versed in the 4 seasons, let alone adverse weather. I mean when we moved to Virgina and I got my first frozen windshield I didn't know what to do so I threw hot water on it!!! I KNOW...CRAZY.  Now I know better and have since got a scrapper and have never made that mistake again.  But a typhoon is quite a different story.

To be honest, it's really not that bad.  Since we've been here (2010 when we arrived) typhoon season each year has been pretty active.  Typhoon season is from June to October.  In September so far, we've had 2 to actually hit the island.  One most recently was last weekend.  Typhoon Sanba graced us with her presence super early on Sunday morning.  She was forecast to be a Super Typhoon, I'm not sure on the difference but it was supposed to be a bad one.  We were prepared since we just had another typhoon 2 weeks earlier.  We generally keep a good supply of canned food and water during the typhoon months. During typhoons its really windy and really rainy.  For the day leading up to a typhoon and during a typhoon we don't normally leave the house. Well we really can't, with all the wind and rain who would really want to? In preparation for the typhoon we really only stock up on snack foods and adult drinks. We already have all the emergency type stuff on hand.

Once the typhoon is near we just chill inside. We download lots of shows and movies to keep us occupied. With one of our first typhoons we actually took that time indoors to potty train Mills! It was great since we already had to be inside. For mills we play with her and have lots of snacks for her. It's a lot of family time, which I love. But being stuck in the house for 2-3 days is tiring. Cabin fever sets in and I feel like the house has been torn apart! I actually get a little anxiety once the typhoon starts to leave because I know how much cleaning needs to be done. Living in Japan we are in a small space and it can be a lil crazy trying to entertain 2 adults, 1 toddler , and an infant.

Usually once we get the all clear we get ready and get out of the house! I clean the bare minimum and take out the trash we have accumulated and head to the nearest restaurant. We also like to drive around the island to the sea wall and check out the huge waves. That's really it. I think it's really one of the best natural disasters. Okinawa gets hit every year and this island and the Okinawans are prepared. A few days off work (if the typhoon hits on a weekday), movie marathons, time with your family , and lazy days inside... Seriously typhoons are the natural disasters for families.

(Now, I do realize that there have been other places and even here that have been badly damaged by typhoons and would live to never see another one. I fortunately have never gone through a bad typhoon. This is just what I've experienced while living in Okinawa.)

Adult Typhoon Survival Kit

Nono and I Chillen

She is one Bad Mamma Jamma

Mills Playing While the Typhoon Kicks Up