Winds and Rain Expected for the Marianas; Small Craft Advisory in Effect this Evening

The National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Forecast Office Guam continue to monitor a developing tropical depression well northeast of the Marianas that will cause monsoon winds and westerly swell to increase across the region for the next couple of days.

A small craft advisory is in effect for Guam, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan coastal waters, from 6 p.m. this evening to 6 a.m. Monday. West winds of 19 to 24 mph today will become hazardous at 24 to 29 mph overnight. Southwest winds will increase further Saturday, peaking at 29 to 24 mph before gradually subsiding Sunday andSunday night. Seas of 5 to 6 feet today will increase overnight and become hazardous at 9 to 11 feet early Saturday morning. Larger seas are expected farther north where seas could reach up to around 13 feet Saturday afternoon and night.

Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels, should avoid sailing in these conditions.

A special weather statement remains in effect for Guam, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan. A monsoon surge associated with a tropical depression east-northeast of Alamagan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), is producing widespread cloudiness and scattered showers across the Marianas. At 7 a.m., the tropical depression was located 525 miles northeast of Guam.

A tropical storm watch is now in effect for Pagan, Agrihan and Alamagan in the northern CNMI. There are no watches and warnings for Guam.

The monsoon surge is expected to strengthen Friday night and Saturday. For the Marianas, winds are expected to increase to 25 to 35 mph, with gusts to 45 mph in heavy showers Saturday and Saturday night.

In addition to the winds and seas, scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected through Friday, with widespread locally heavy showers on Saturday. Rainfall of 3 to 6 inches is possible through Sunday.

Due to the expected winds and rain, it is advised to take basic precautionary actions now. To prepare for any scenario, residents and visitors are advised to:

Locate or prepare your emergency preparedness kits for your household
Clear loose debris around your yard and store any items, such as canopies, that may become airborne in heavy wind
Gas your vehicles and get fuel for your generators
Stay up to date in the event there additional advisories

Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop. The following are basic flood safety tips to keep in mind:

Now is a good time to clear drainage areas and un-block clogged storm drains in your area to minimize the chance of flooding.
Avoid walking or driving through flood waters.
Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down, and 2 feet of water can sweep your vehicle away.
If there is a chance of flash flooding, move immediately to higher ground.
If floodwaters rise around your car but the water is not moving, abandon the car and move to higher ground. Do not leave the car and enter moving water.
Avoid camping or parking along streams, rivers, and creeks during heavy rainfall. These areas can flood quickly and with little warning.

Visit https://www.ready.gov/floods to learn more.

The Offices of Guam Homeland Security and Civil Defense (GHS/OCD) remind all residents and visitors to practice extreme caution if traveling in these conditions in the coming days. Monitor the latest advisory information through the following sites, especially if outdoor or marine activities were planned:

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.