MARIANA ISLANDS – Super Typhoon Bavi remains a massive Category 5 equivalent storm as it continues to barrel through the Mariana Islands, currently moving directly through Rota.
This exceptionally powerful system is packing winds of 175 mph and gusts over 200 mph, presenting a life-threatening situation to all the islands.
Bavi is the second typhoon to impact the islands in the last few months and is creeping westward through an environment of very warm ocean water, which is allowing it to maintain its extreme strength.
The eye of the super typhoon is now west of the islands. However, it is still bringing hazardous rain, winds, and storm surge to the island chain, with gusts clocking in at tropical storm to hurricane strength.
It is expected there will be extensive power outages and damage left in the wake of this powerful storm, once the sky clears and damage can be assessed later in the day on Monday.
High seas of 25 to 30 feet will persist through Monday night as the storm continues to push west.
Although the high seas will begin to subside by early Tuesday morning, the rain, mudslide, and flood threat will remain for the area.
From there, Bavi is expected to gradually weaken as it heads west-northwest toward Taiwan and mainland China. The system is currently forecast to impact northern Taiwan—including Taipei—this Friday and Saturday ET.
The system is expected to bring winds still clocking upwards of 125 mph, which is still a powerful typhoon and a Category 3 equivalent storm, the FOX Forecast Center said.
Flash flooding and power outages will be likely for the Taipei metro.
Typhoon Bavi comes on the heels of another super typhoon that impacted the area back in April, Super Typhoon Sinlaku. That storm fortunately resulted in no deaths, but it caused widespread devastation across Saipan and Tinian, leaving an estimated $1.5 billion plus in damage.
Sinlaku strengthened into a 185 mph storm and achieved a central pressure as low as 890 mb at peak intensity. A similar intensity may happen this time around, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
