Heavy rains possible this morning; practice caution on the roadways

The National Weather Service (NWS) - Guam Weather Forecast Office issued a short term forecast for Guam and Guam coastal waters.
Through 11 a.m., scattered showers and thunderstorms will bring brief heavy rain and occasional lightning to the northern half of Guam and the adjacent coastal waters north of Guam.

If driving, be alert for near-zero visibility in heavy rain. Watch for ponding of water on the road. Brief flooding may occur in poor drainage areas. If outdoors, seek shelter if thunder is heard. Boaters off the west and northwest coast of the island should be alert for visibilities below one nautical mile, and take shelter below decks if lightning is seen or thunder is heard.

A high surf advisory remains in effect until 6 p.m. Sunday. Hazardous surf of 8 to 11 feet along west facing shores will persist though tonight. Avoid venturing near reefs and beaches, especially those facing south and west. Large breaking waves can knock you down and cause serious injuries. Strong rip currents will be life threatening. If caught in a rip current, swim parallel to shore and back toward the beach when possible. Do not attempt to swim directly against a rip current.

A thunderstorm advisory is not in effect for the Guam International Airport until 11:30 a.m. Thunderstorms are possible or occurring within 20 nautical miles of the airport. Wind gusts of 27 mph are expected in heavier showers. Be alert and take precautions as necessary.

The Offices of Guam Homeland Security and Civil Defense (GHS/OCD) remind the community to practice extreme caution while traveling in these conditions, allowing enough braking distance between vehicles. Avoid the waters until hazardous conditions subside.
Visit the following links for the latest advisory information:
· NWS Website: http://www.prh.noaa.gov/guam/
· NWS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NWSGuam/
· GHS/OCD Website: https://ghs.guam.gov/
· GHS/OCD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHSOCD/

For more information, contact GHS/OCD Public Information Officer, Jenna G. Blas at (671) 489-2540 or via email at jenna.g.blas@ghs.guam.gov.

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

Wildfire

Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

Fire Weather

Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought

X
Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents.

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.