Strengthening Typhoon Threatens Northern Marianas Islands
A strengthening typhoon is headed for the Northern Marianas Islands, prompting the U.S. Coast Guard to secure its own assets for the storm and advise maritime interests to make urgent preparations in Guam and Saipan.
"Our team is moving boats, securing our base, and getting our cutters underway — the community has that same window to get ready, and it's closing. Don't wait for the warning to tell you what you already know is coming. Use today to prepare," said Capt. Jessica Worst, commander for USCG Forces Micronesia and Sector Guam.
The cutters homeported in Apra are leaving ahead of the arrival of tropical storm force winds, as is standard practice. The service emphasized that they will be back to help once the danger has passed. The station's small boats will also be trailered off to safe storage before the storm's arrival. This means that there will be a window even before the storm when local SAR capabilities are reduced, the Coast Guard noted.
As of Friday evening local time, Bavi was moving west-northwest at about 12 knots, with sustained wind speeds of about 105 knots. The typhoon is moving over warm water and is expected to rapidly intensify over the weekend before arriving in the Marianas as a dangerous Category 5 storm early next week.
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The National Weather Service believes that Bavi poses a "significant threat" to the Marianas Islands, given its track and intensity forecast. As of the latest NWS prediction, it is headed towards Tinian, but the track uncertainty could see it move farther south to threaten Guam or north towards Saipan. The forecast surface conditions include wave heights of 25-35 feet around the Marianas during the storm's passage, and up to 40 feet near the center. Guam Governor Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero has declared a state of emergency and urged residents to make preparations.
The region was hit by another major storm, Typhoon Sinlaku, earlier this year. The high winds and waves claimed the lives of the six-member crew of the cargo vessel Mariana as they attempted to weather Sinlaku's passage at sea.