Okinawa Gets Clearer with South Wind: Kerama, Ishigaki & Yonaguni Patterns
2026-03-16
While Pacific coast sites clear with north wind, Okinawa shows a different pattern. Kerama peaks at 20.6m with SE wind, Ishigaki at 21.4m with south wind — warm-direction winds bring clarity. We analyzed 7,500+ observations from 4 sites.
KeramaBest: SE / Gap 3.1m
SE
20.6
SW
20.5
S
20.2
W
19.2
NE
19.2
E
19.2
N
17.7
NW
17.5
IshigakiBest: S / Gap 2.3m
S
21.4
W
21.2
E
21.1
NW
20.9
SE
20.8
SW
20.6
NE
19.3
N
19.1
YonaguniBest: W / Gap 2.3m
W
26.3
SW
25.4
S
25
NW
24.8
SE
24.6
E
24.4
N
24.3
NE
24
AmamiBest: NE / Gap 2.6m
NE
20.1
NW
19.9
N
19.9
SE
18.8
W
18.6
E
18.6
S
18.3
SW
17.5
Why Okinawa Reverses the Pattern
South Wind = Kuroshio Warm Water Inflow
Around Okinawa, south winds push warm, clear Kuroshio-origin water toward the islands. Kerama's 20.6m with SE wind reflects inflow of clean Philippine Sea water.
North Wind = Turbid Continental Shelf Water
Winter north winds (monsoon) carry East China Sea continental shelf water — nutrient-rich with plankton. Kerama's N 17.7m / NW 17.5m clearly shows this effect.
Amami Exception: NE Wind Is Best
Amami uniquely peaks with NE wind (20.1m), worst with SW (17.5m). Amami sits north of the main Kuroshio, where NE winds push warm Kuroshio water toward the island.
Wind Checklist for Okinawa Dive Trips
- Kerama: S–SE wind days are best (20m+). North wind means -3m
- Ishigaki: S wind 21.4m. Even NE 19.3m is fine. Smaller gap
- Yonaguni: 24m+ in any wind. Current conditions matter more than wind
- Amami: NE wind is best (20.1m). Avoid summer SW wind (17.5m)
About the Data
Kerama 1,554 / Ishigaki 1,473 / Yonaguni 4,826 / Amami 865 observations matched with Open-Meteo wind direction data. 8 compass directions (45° each).
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