Northern Mariana Islands on Alert for Another Super Typhoon
WHO:
ABC News - Paul Stanko, senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service on Guam, stated, “The timing is terrible.”
ABC News - The Rev. Francis Hezel, assistant pastor of Santa Barbara Catholic Church in Dededo, Guam, expressed hope that no island takes the brunt of the storm.
ABC News - Edwin Propst, a former lawmaker who works in the governor's office on Saipan.
Yale Climate Connections - The Japan Meteorological Agency, responsible for typhoon warnings in the Northwest Pacific.
WHAT:
Yale Climate Connections - Bavi is expected to have maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 km/h) at landfall.
Yale Climate Connections - Rainfall from Bavi could reach 4 to 5 inches within one hour, likely causing flash flooding.
ABC News - Residents of U.S. territories in the western Pacific are preparing for a possible super typhoon, Typhoon Bavi.
ABC News - Typhoon Bavi is expected to become a super typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (241 kph) or stronger.
ABC News - Bavi was 760 miles (1,223 kilometers) east of Guam with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (129 kph).
Yale Climate Connections - Bavi is expected to reach super typhoon status by Sunday morning, July 5, 2026.
Yale Climate Connections - Bavi is projected to have maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (250 km/h) into the beginning of next week.
Yale Climate Connections - Total damage from Super Typhoon Sinlaku was estimated at about $1.5 billion.
WHERE:
Yale Climate Connections - Bavi is projected to make a direct hit on Tinian and Saipan in the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands.
ABC News - The U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam.
Yale Climate Connections - The Northern Mariana Islands, specifically Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
WHEN:
Yale Climate Connections - Tropical storm or typhoon watches will likely be issued for much of the Mariana Islands as early as Friday.
ABC News - Typhoon Bavi is forecast to reach the Marianas on Sunday night to early Monday.
Yale Climate Connections - Bavi is expected to approach Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands on Sunday afternoon or evening.
WHY:
ABC News - Residents are still living in tents after their homes were destroyed by Super Typhoon Sinlaku.
ABC News - Residents are still recovering from Super Typhoon Sinlaku, which caused extensive damage in April.
Yale Climate Connections - El Nino increases hurricane season activity in the Pacific, contributing to more frequent typhoons.
HOW:
Yale Climate Connections - Bavi is expected to continue moving west-northwest after passing the Northern Mariana Islands, which will prevent the storm from lingering over the islands.
ABC News - Residents are preparing by covering windows with plywood and storing gasoline.
Yale Climate Connections - Bavi is expected to intensify due to warm sea surface temperatures and favorable atmospheric conditions.
(UPDATED July 3, 2026 13:34 UTC)
Bavi is projected to make a direct hit on Tinian and Saipan in the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands, with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph and rainfall potentially reaching 4 to 5 inches within just one hour, raising concerns about flash flooding. Paul Stanko, a senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service on Guam, described the timing of the storm as terrible, while Rev. Francis Hezel, an assistant pastor in Dededo, expressed hope that no island bears the brunt of the impact. Tropical storm or typhoon watches are likely to be issued for much of the Mariana Islands as early as Friday, as residents continue to recover from the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Sinlaku.
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(UPDATED July 3, 2026 08:03 UTC)
Residents of U.S. territories in the western Pacific, including the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam, are bracing for the arrival of Typhoon Bavi, which is forecast to become a super typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph or stronger. Currently located 760 miles east of Guam, Bavi is expected to reach the Marianas on Sunday night to early Monday, intensifying due to warm sea surface temperatures and favorable atmospheric conditions. As the community continues to recover from the extensive damage caused by Super Typhoon Sinlaku, residents are preparing by covering windows with plywood and storing gasoline in anticipation of the storm.