JIC Release No. 6 - Typhoon Wutip Continues to Intensify; School Information - GHS OCD

The National Weather Service (NWS) Guam Weather Forecast Office continues to closely monitor Typhoon Wutip as it moves toward the Marianas.

As of 4 a.m., Typhoon Wutip was located at latitude 7.7 degrees north and longitude 148.1 degrees east latitude, about 460 miles south-southeast of Guam and 535 miles south-southeast of Saipan; moving west-northwest at 8 mph with maximum sustained winds now at 100 mph. Typhoon-force strength winds extend outward from the center up to 35 miles and tropical-storm force winds extend outward from the center up to 150 miles. Wutip is expected to make a slight turn toward the northwest with an increase in forward speed over the next 24 hours.

What to Expect on its Current Track
• Winds and rain will start to pick up as early as Friday evening
• The onset of damaging winds of 35-45 mph with possible gusts up to 60 mph are expected as early as Saturday morning around sunrise and are expected to last all the way through Sunday morning
• The closest point of approach (CPA) is expected around midnight Saturday with the typhoon being 130 miles southwest of Guam at its CPA
• The onset of sustained destructive winds of 58 mph or more are not expected at this time
• The worst conditions will be Saturday night into Sunday morning
• Rainfall of 4-6 inches is expected during Wutip’s passage

Any northward shift of the current storm would bring higher winds and larger rainfall amounts to the island. The community is advised to stay up to date with the latest advisories and watch for any flood advisories.

School Information

GDOE Early Release Times:

11:00 a.m.
Southern High School
Tiyan High School
John F. Kennedy High School
J.P. Torres Success Academy

11:30 a.m.
George Washington High School
Okkodo High School
Simon Sanchez High School

12:00 p.m.
All GDOE elementary schools and Head Start

12:45 p.m.
All GDOE middle schools

Canceled
GDOE ASPIRE and GDOE after school sports programs scheduled for Friday afternoon are canceled. Sports programs scheduled for Saturday are also canceled.

GDOE parents are asked to begin picking up students at the specified release times. Busing services will be provided to transport students home.

DoDEA:
DoDEA schools will remain open for normal hours of operation Friday.

Other School Notifications:
iLearn Academy Charter School will release students at 11:30 a.m., Friday, February 22, 2019. Parents are advised to arrange for early pick up.

SIFA Learning Academy will dismiss students at 12:00 p.m., Friday, February 22, 2019.

Saint Paul Christian School will release students at 12:00 p.m., Friday, February 22, 2019.

Catholic Schools:
The Archdiocese of Agaña confirms that Catholic schools will hold classes today, Friday, Feb. 22 while the island remains in Condition of Readiness (COR) 3. In the event of COR 2, students will be sent home. If bus transportation is not available at that time, parents and guardians are advised to please ensure transportation home for their child or children.

Please note the following exception: Mercy Hts. Preschool and Kinder will release students by 12 noon just like public school counterparts. Important: All parents/guardians of Catholic school students have the discretion of having their children attend classes or not attend classes today, especially with the possibility of not having full bus service for the day.

Parents of students from other non-aligned schools are advised to check in with their respective schools for clarification or official notifications regarding release times and transportation. The Joint Information Center will continue to update as soon as verified information is received.

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/
Joint Region Marianas Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jrmguam/

For more information, contact the GHS/OCD 24/7 watch desk at (671) 475-9600.

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.

JIC Release No. 6 - Typhoon Wutip Continues to Intensify; School Information