A horrifying Category 5 typhoon is bearing down on islands in the Western Pacific and will pass dangerously close to the U.S. territories of Saipan and Tinian.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said today it is monitoring Super Typhoon Yutu and coordinating with local authorities. According to the Weather Channel, the eye of the storm has now pushed west of islands in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, about 120 miles northeast of Guam. At last check, the storm had sustained winds of 180 mph, making it the strongest typhoon on record to pass near Saipan and Tinian, per the Weather Channel. It’s also the strongest storm yet in a very busy year for hurricanes.
Satellite images from NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and others paint an ominous picture for the region:
Check out the eye of Super Typhoon #Yutu in the western Pacific, seen today from #Himawari-8. The ferocious Category 5 storm is packing 180 mph winds and quickly approaching the U.S. territories of Saipan, Tinian and Rota. More imagery: https://t.co/naIsWtiBev pic.twitter.com/mo7PW10PaP
— NOAA Satellites (@NOAASatellites) October 24, 2018
Closer view of Super #Typhoon #Yutu passing directly over #Tinian and #Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands with sustained winds of 155 KTS (178 MPH), gusting to 190 KTS (219 MPH). (JMA Himawari imagery) pic.twitter.com/K8mu7uRmw4
— NASA SPoRT (@NASA_SPoRT) October 24, 2018
One of the strongest storms ever recorded in the U.S. and its territories is hitting the Northern Mariana Islands, including Saipan and Titian, as Category 5 Super Typhoon #Yutu rolls through with 180-mph sustained winds https://t.co/JjpqOkou7I pic.twitter.com/EYR3HVWFBN
— Weather Underground (@wunderground) October 24, 2018
Super Typhoon #Yutu slams N’rn Marianna Islands of Saipan & Tinian (north of Guam) as catastrophic storm w/180mph winds. Yutu went from 50mph tropical storm to 180mph winds w/gusts to 220mph in 48hrs. Another huge rapid intensification cycle & nearly most perfect eye at landfall. pic.twitter.com/AsSLSYKLyt
— Rob Perillo (@robperillo) October 24, 2018