Typhoon Muifa east-southeast of Okinawa on Aug.2, 2011. Navy Research Lab Monterey (NRLMRY) image.

High wind and slashing rain of Typhoon Muifa will strike Okinawa and likely eastern China, yet the worst of these should steer wide of the flood-weary Korean Peninsula.

The eye of Muifa will skirt Okinawa to the south on Thursday and Friday, but this southern island of Japan will weather torrential rain and potentially destructive wind.

Beyond Okinawa, the likely path of Muifa will be towards the west and northwest. Odds are good that Muifa will make contact with the eastern mainland of China before the end of the week. A more northwesterly track might defer a China landfall until Monday.

High storm tides would accompany any landfall on the China mainland, as would damaging winds. Flooding rain could spread well inland, depending upon the exact path of Muifa.

On the Korean Peninsula, where record-breaking July rainfall led to tragic flooding and landslides near Seoul, the path of Muifa will undoubtedly be watched with keen interest.

A track intersecting eastern China and the western Yellow Sea would spare Seoul the storm’s high winds and heaviest rain through early next week. On the other hand, a path farther east could yield heavy rain on the Korean Peninsula, including Seoul, as early as Sunday.