A tropical cyclone with a intensity that is rare worldwide at this time of year is currently sweeping across the Pacific Northwest. Super Typhoon Mawar continued to intensify as it passed the US island of Guam and underwent a restructuring of the storm’s eyewall that normally precedes an increase in tropical cyclone intensity.
TROPICAL DELICACIES
According to the latest bulletin from the Joint Pacific Typhoon Warning Center, the oneminute sustained winds around Mawar’s center have increased to up to 155 knots (287 km/h), with gusts in excess of 300 km/h.
The true monster cyclone reigned supreme in intensity with a central atmospheric pressure of just 903 millibars, making Mawar the world’s most intense tropical cyclone this year.
Taking into account the current intensity and the oceanic and atmospheric environment favorable for further intensification, with high sea surface temperature and little divergent winds in the atmosphere, Mawar could evolve into a very rare tropical cyclone with a central pressure below 900 millibar over the next year. It took only a few hours and became among the most intense ever observed in the region.
Philip Klotzbach, meteorologist at the University of Colorado (USA), emphasizes how rare the current strength of Typhoon Mawar is. According to him, only two other North Pacific typhoons recorded in May (since 1950) had maximum winds of the intensity observed in Mawar today: Phyllis (1958) and Damrey (2000).
Breaking News: Super Typhoon #Mawar Continues to intensify with 1minute sustained winds now up to 155 knots (180 mph) and a central pressure drop of 903 MB, making it the strongest storm on the planet this year. pic.twitter.com/WXCpdp8gyq
— Nahel Belgherze (@WxNB_) May 25, 2023
Typhoon Mawar moved away from the US Pacific Territory of Guam today, prompting the governor to declare the island “weathered the storm.” Meteorologists said the typhoon hit Guam with winds of 140 mph on Wednesday as the storm’s eye passed north of the island. The storm is heading towards the northern Philippines and Taiwan.
“We now continue to focus our efforts on repairing infrastructure and restoring basic light and water supplies to residents,” Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero said in an Instagram post. “I want to thank everyone for taking all the safety precautions and weathering the storm again.”
Residents on the island of 170,000 said late Thursday that conditions were improving. “The wind is finally letting up. There’s a lot of debris in my backyard,” Beckie Merrill, a 46yearold high school teacher from a southern area of the island, told AFP.
Mawar Devastates Guam | JAMES REYNOLDS/AFP/METSUL METEOROLOGIA
Tens of thousands of homes were without power Thursday, the Guam Power Authority (GPA) said, but found a total blackout was averted. “We recognize that widespread power outages are making recovery from the typhoon difficult. Engineers and road crews began assessing damage and making repairs to critical infrastructure at dawn today,” he said in a Facebook post.
A full damage assessment has yet to be completed. Images on social media showed the effects of the winds, which uprooted trees, swept away vehicles and ripped off roofs, throwing debris everywhere.
“As the sunlight shines through, we’re witnessing a rather disturbing scene in Guam,” an NWS meteorologist said Thursday morning. “We look out our door and what used to be a jungle looks like toothpicks. It looks like a scene from the movie Twister, with trees just ripped apart.” Sea conditions are still treacherous, even for large vessels, the agency said.
The car was blown over by strong winds from Typhoon Mawar in Guam 🇬🇺
JOIN TELEGRAM 👉 https://t.co/9cTkji5aZq pic.twitter.com/lL189ehRBi
— Disaster News (@Top_Disaster) May 24, 2023
In Washington, the White House announced that President Joe Biden had been briefed on the situation. “The White House is in close contact with the Guam government and has provided all necessary assistance,” a spokeswoman said. Approximately 21,700 US soldiers and their families are stationed on Guam, where nuclear submarines and longrange bombers are regularly stationed.
The area is also home to important electronic listening posts and US bases have some of the most important fuel and ammunition dumps in the Pacific.
Lieutenant Commander Katie Koenig said military aircraft and ships had left or been placed in hangars before the destructive winds began, “except for one ship which remained in port due to an engine failure”. Koenig added that all military and civilian personnel have been ordered to take cover.
“Our military personnel routinely exercise natural disaster response measures and are ready and able to respond once the allclear order is issued,” she said.