Typhoon Dolphin re-strengthened as its center passed close to northern Okinawa Island during the afternoon of August 7.
The system was located near Nago at 16:00 JST (07:00 UTC), with an estimated minimum central pressure of 935 hPa, 10-minute maximum sustained winds of 162 km/h (101 mph) and gusts near 216 km/h (134 mph), according to the Okinawa Meteorological Observatory.
Observed gusts reached 151 km/h (94 mph) at Nago at 15:21 JST (06:21 UTC) and 151 km/h (94 mph) at Oku in Kunigami Village at 14:22 JST (05:22 UTC). The Okinawa Meteorological Observatory said satellite imagery showed renewed development of the typhoon, although the precise reason for the re-intensification was not immediately clear.
Dolphin was intensifying while scraping the northwestern coast of Okinawa according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC). At 06:00 UTC, the center was approximately 37 km (23 miles) northeast of Kadena Air Base, with maximum 1-minute sustained winds of 167 km/h (104 mph), gusts to 204 km/h (127 mph), and significant wave heights of 12 m (40 feet).
1-minute sustained winds at Nago reached approximately 91 km/h (56 mph) at 15:00 JST (06:00 UTC), JTWC reported. Amami recorded sustained winds near 93 km/h (58 mph) and gusts to 126 km/h (78 mph) at 16:00 JST (07:00 UTC).
At least five people had been injured due to the storm. The prefecture also reported partial damage to five homes. Three injuries reportedly involved men in their 70s. Two were caught by strong winds, while another fell from a stool while preparing for the storm.
Okinawa Electric Power reported 16 920 households without electricity across 21 municipalities at 17:00 JST, down from 17 920 households at 15:00 JST.
Nago accounted for 6 920 of the outages, followed by Nakijin Village with 2 720, Motobu with 2 390, Kunigami with 1 540 and Ogimi with 830. Approximately 90% of the outages were concentrated in northern Okinawa Island.
Evacuation orders covered nearly 110 000 households and over 262 500 people across Kagoshima and Okinawa prefectures. These included 121 775 people in Kagoshima and 140 725 in Okinawa, according to FDMA.
Municipalities throughout the Okinawa Island region had opened evacuation shelters by 16:30 JST. Earlier in the day, Okinawa Prefecture reported about 240 people sheltering at evacuation centers.
Hazard levels increased during the afternoon as heavy rainbands affected northern Okinawa. At 15:18 JST, JMA issued advance notification that a linear precipitation band could develop over northern Okinawa within three hours, increasing the risk of intense rainfall persisting over the same locations.
A Level 4 heavy-rain risk warning was in effect for Ogimi, Higashi and Nakijin at 16:30 JST, while Level 4 landslide-disaster risk warnings covered Kunigami, Ogimi, Higashi, Nakijin and Motobu. A Level 4 storm-surge risk warning was in effect for Kumejima.
Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) reported 524 flight cancellations nationwide on August 7, including 147 Japan Airlines flights and 120 All Nippon Airways flights. Another 255 cancellations had already been planned for August 8.
Separate airline data compiled in Okinawa showed that all 417 scheduled flights serving Naha, Miyako, Ishigaki and Shimojishima airports on August 7 were canceled. Another 274 cancellations had already been announced for August 8 and 9, with the disruption over the three days expected to affect approximately 105 000 passengers.
Naha, Miyako and Ishigaki airport terminal buildings were closed for the entire day on August 7. Shimojishima Airport had no operating flights but remained open from 08:00 to 12:00 JST for airline counter services.
Naha Airport announced that its domestic and international terminal buildings were scheduled to reopen at 11:00 JST on August 8, although passengers were advised to check individual airline operating schedules.
The four major bus operators serving Okinawa Island suspended all services throughout August 7 and announced that services would remain suspended from the first scheduled departures on August 8. Operations will resume only after the typhoon passes and road conditions are assessed as safe.
Okinawa Urban Monorail, or Yui Rail, also suspended operations throughout August 7 and said trains would remain suspended from the beginning of service on August 8.
Strong winds closed the Okinawa Expressway and Naha Airport Expressway, along with sections of national routes 58 and 331. A fallen tree blocked National Route 505 at Nakaoji in Nago during the afternoon.
MLIT previously reported that 48 operators had suspended services on 52 maritime routes, mainly around Kyushu and Okinawa, while four parcel-delivery operators suspended collection or delivery in affected areas.
The Japan Coast Guard had Stage 2 evacuation advisories in effect at seven ports and Stage 1 warning advisories at 26 ports. Anchorage restrictions were imposed around Naha Airport, Yoshinoura Thermal Power Station, the Okinawa Oil Base and Okinawa Terminal.
MLIT also reported partial damage to an access bridge at the Shibushi Coast Guard vessel base in Kagoshima Prefecture, although operations were not disrupted.
Toyota suspended operations at nine factories in southern Japan on August 7 as the storm disrupted transportation and logistics.
Typhoon Dolphin satellite loop on August 7, 2026. Credit: JMA/Himwari-9, RAMMB/CIRA, The Watchers
China’s National Meteorological Center (NMC) maintained a Yellow Typhoon Warning as of 18:00 CST (10:00 UTC). Its 17:00 CST analysis placed Dolphin approximately 730 km (454 miles) east of Wenzhou, Zhejiang.
NMC reported 10-minute maximum winds of 173 km/h (107 mph) and central pressure of 940 hPa. Dolphin was moving generally west at approximately 15 km/h (9 mph), and NMC forecast additional strengthening as the cyclone entered the East China Sea.
NMC forecasts Dolphin to make landfall somewhere along the coast from Zhejiang to northern Fujian between the afternoon of August 9 and the morning of August 10. Forecast winds at landfall are 144–162 km/h (89–101 mph), corresponding to typhoon or strong-typhoon intensity in China’s classification.
JTWC also forecasts landfall in China around 60 hours after its 06:00 UTC position on August 7, corresponding to approximately 18:00 UTC on August 9 or 02:00 CST on August 10.
The cyclone is forecast to turn gradually toward the northwest as the subtropical ridge reorganizes northeast of the system.
JTWC expects Dolphin to maintain winds near 167 km/h (104 mph) through approximately 06:00 UTC on August 8 before gradually weakening as it moves away from the highest ocean heat content. Forecast winds decrease to around 157 km/h (98 mph) by 18:00 UTC on August 8 and 148 km/h (92 mph) by 06:00 UTC on August 9.
Image credit: JTWC
Meanwhile, NMC forecasts cumulative rainfall of 200–400 mm (8–16 inches) across parts of Zhejiang, Shanghai, northern Fujian, much of Jiangsu, southern and central Anhui, and northeastern Jiangxi. From 20:00 CST on August 7 to 20:00 CST on August 10. Localized totals in eastern Zhejiang could exceed 600 mm (24 inches).
From 20:00 CST on August 8 to 20:00 CST on August 9, parts of central and eastern Zhejiang are forecast to receive 250–350 mm (910–14 inches), while the East China Sea could experience winds of Beaufort force 12–13 with gusts reaching force 14–15.
From 20:00 CST on August 9 to 20:00 CST on August 10, parts of Shanghai, southern Anhui and much of Zhejiang could receive another 250–300 mm (10–12 inches).
NMC also forecasts widespread strong winds over the East China Sea, Hangzhou Bay, the Yangtze River estuary and the coasts of Shanghai, Zhejiang and northeastern Fujian as Dolphin approaches. Winds near the cyclone’s center over the East China Sea could reach Beaufort force 13–16, with gusts of force 15–17.
After landfall, both NMC and JTWC forecast rapid weakening as the cyclone moves inland, with JTWC forecasting the system to dissipate by August 11.
References:
1 Prognostic Reasoning for Typhoon 12W (Dolphin) Warning No. 46 – JTWC – August 7, 2026
2 Damage and response situation for Typhoon No. 13, second report – FDMA – August 7, 2026
3 Typhoon warning – NMC – August 7, 2026
4 Damage situation and response concerning Typhoon No. 13, second report – MLIT – August 7, 2026
AloJapan.com