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Category 5, Supertyphoon Yutu Devastating Saipan, 180 mph, winds gusting over 200mph
Supertyphoon Yutu,180 mph sustained winds, the strongest ever in the Guam to Saipan region of the Northern Marianna islands, is hitting Saipan dead on.
Saipan, a U.S. island, population 50,000, is being slammed by supertyphoon Yutu's 180mph sustained winds with waves over 50 feet high.
Michael Lowry
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@MichaelRLowry
Yet another direct strike to U.S. citizens from a catastrophic storm, this time in the Pacific. #Saipan in the very worst part of this ferocious Category 5 equivalent Super #Typhoon. #Yutu
12:23 PM - Oct 24, 2018
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Over 50,000 U.S. citizens on the islands of Saipan and Tinian, in the northern Mariannas chain are enduring sustained winds of 180 mph and gusts over 200 mph from supertyphoon Yutu, the strongest storm on record to strike these islands. Yesterday they were preparing for 120 mph winds, which would have been survivable. Yutu rapidly intensified over the past day to an unexpected monster strong category 5. Structures in the northern Mariannas are built to withstand supertyphoons, but Yutu is significantly stronger than any storm to strike this islands in recorded history. Moreover, island topography can intensify wind gusts. Gusts well over 200mph are likely. Downslope wind intensification will cause extreme gusts in the most heavily inhabited parts of Saipan on the western side of the island. The northern side of the storm which is hitting Saipan is the leading edge and thus likely the strongest side. Saipan is getting no breaks. The island Tinian, south of Saipan, is now almost wholly engulfed in Yutu’s eye.
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Eric Zerkel
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@EricZerkel
The island of Tinian is now almost entirely within the eye of Cat. 5 Super Typhoon Yutu via @UWCIMSS h/t @wxjerdman
11:38 AM - Oct 24, 2018
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Ryan Maue | weathermodels.com
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@RyanMaue
Tinian is now completely within the eye of Super Typhoon Yutu.
Should be clear with stars visible for a while -- before hell returns.
Last 2-hour satellite loop: https://weather.us/satellite/1460-e-151-n/top-alert-10min.html#play …
11:42 AM - Oct 24, 2018
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The weather station at Saipan airport stopped reporting wind and pressure after wind gusts exceeded 100mph.
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Jonathan Erdman
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@wxjerdman
Peak measured gust: 103.6 mph at PGSN (#Saipan Int'l Airport) before wind, pressure data dropped out as eye neared. https://bit.ly/2PfEaud #Yutu (Thx @MLammers86 for mesowest link.)
11:22 AM - Oct 24, 2018
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Jonathan Erdman
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@wxjerdman
Interesting structure of #Yutu in this microwave image from 1506Z. (Credit: Navy NRL)
11:42 AM - Oct 24, 2018
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This is a major disaster. This storm is significantly stronger than hurricane Michael. The only good news is that U.S. naval and air facilities on Guam were spared the worst as this storm turned to Saipan. The U.S. will have the capability to provide rapid emergency assistance from bases on Guam.
From Jeff Masters’ blog, population figures for the most affected islands:
The U.S. Northern Mariana Islands is a U.S. commonwealth, separate from the U.S. territory of Guam. Close to two-thirds of residents of the Northern Marianas are U.S. citizens, according to a 2015 report from the commonwealth government. The three main islands are:
Saipan: population 52,263 (2017 estimate)
Tinian: population 3,136 (2010 estimate)
Rota: population 2,477 (2010 estimate)
This has been an extraordinarily active year in the tropics with about twice the normal amount of hurricane energy released in the northern hemisphere. Over the past decade records show that the strongest storms have been growing stronger. This is happening because 90% of the heating caused by increasing greenhouse gas levels has been taken up by the oceans. Because the surface layer of warm water has thickened in the tropical and subtropical oceans, less cool water wells up from below and category 4 and 5 storms become more likely. The U.S. is now suffering from the disastrous impacts of its failure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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