Category 5 Super Typhoon Yutu Now Moving Away From US Territories of Saipan, Tinian After Devastating Strike

Super Typhoon Yutu With 180 mph Winds Moves Past Saipan

Super Typhoon Yutu has become the strongest typhoon of record to pass over Saipan and Tinian.
Destructive winds, storm surge flooding and flooding rainfall will occur.
Guam will experience gusty winds, coastal flooding and heavy rain.

Super Typhoon Yutu is now moving away from the Northern Mariana Islands in the Western Pacific Ocean after becoming the strongest typhoon of record to pass over the U.S. territories of Saipan and Tinian.

The eyewall of Yutu has now pushed west of the islands of Saipan and Tinian in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Yutu may eventually arrive in the Philippines, Taiwan or southern Japan next week.

For now, maximum sustained winds remain solidly Category 5 intensity, near 175 mph, as of the latest advisory from the U.S. Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

Winds gusted to 103 mph at Saipan International Airport before wind data stopped transmitting as the eyewall moved in. Some gusts over 50 mph have been measured on Guam, along with bands of rain.

Current Winds

Typhoon warnings continue for the islands of Saipan, Tinian and Rota, and a tropical storm warning remains in effect for the far northern islands of Alamagan, Pagan and Agrihan.

Forecast

Yutu will gradually weaken as it moves west-northwestward into the Philippine Sea, but will remain a potent Category 3 or 4 equivalent typhoon through at least Monday.

Gusty winds will continue to lash Saipan, Tinian and Rota through late Thursday morning local time. Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are 14 hours ahead of U.S. EDT.

Current Storm Status and Projected Path

(The red-shaded area denotes the potential path of the center of the tropical cyclone. Note that impacts (particularly heavy rain, high surf, coastal flooding) with any tropical cyclone may spread beyond its forecast path.)

An inundation of storm surge of 5 or more feet above normally dry ground is still possible, but will gradually subside through Thursday. High surf and rip currents will be felt throughout the Marianas through at least Thursday evening as Yutu moves away.

An additional 2 to 5 inches of rainfall is possible through Thursday evening.

This rainfall is likely to trigger dangerous flash flooding and dangerous landslides in higher terrain. A flash flood watch has been issued in the islands through late Thursday night.

Next week, Yutu could eventually pose a threat to the northern Philippines, Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands of Japan.

It remains too soon to be certain if Yutu will strike any of these locations or if it will simply curl sharply northeastward out to sea. Check back with us at weather.com for updates in the coming days as the forecast comes into focus.

Historical Perspective

Yutu is the strongest super typhoon to pass near Saipan and Tinian in NOAA's historical database.

Prior to Yutu, only three other Category 5 super typhoons had passed within 75 miles of the islands.

The last Category 5 super typhoon to do so was Chaba in 2004.

Yutu rapidly intensified from a Category 1 to Category 5 super typhoon in the 24 hours ending 4 p.m. Wednesday local time.

The intense eyewall of Yutu was clearly visible from the National Weather Service Doppler radar at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, early Thursday before the radar stopped transmitting data. There were numerous lightning strikes within Yutu's eyewall, indicative of an intense tropical cyclone.

Loop of eyewall lightning detected from 1630z Oct. 23 through 1031z Oct, 24, 2018, associated with Super Typhoon Yutu as it approached the Northern Mariana Islands.

(Vaisala/Chris Vagasky)

Yutu was the strongest cyclone to hit the United States in 2018.

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