A massive Category 5 typhoon is barreling toward US territory and could cause lasting damage for both residents and American tourists in the Pacific Ocean.
With sustained winds up to 173mph, the cyclone known as Super Typhoon Sinlaku became the strongest of the Pacific’s tropical storm season on Monday.
It is now moving straight toward the Northern Mariana Islands, including Saipan, Tinian and Rota, and the island of Guam.
Nearly 2,000 tourists across the US territories have already been stranded by the storm, which is expected to hit the islands Tuesday night, potentially causing blackouts, flooding and widespread wind damage.
A typhoon is a large, spinning storm that forms over warm tropical ocean water. It is the same type of storm as a hurricane or a cyclone. The only difference is where they form.
Hurricanes form in the tropical Atlantic and the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Typhoons like Sinlaku form in the West Pacific Ocean, while cyclones form south of the equator, off the coast of places such as Australia and Madagascar.
A Category 5 storm is the strongest tropical cyclone measured by meteorologists, meaning it has destructive winds exceeding 157 mph.
The last Category 5 typhoon to threaten US territory was Typhoon Yutu, which battered the Northern Mariana Islands in 2018, impacting the local economy and causing damage that took years to recover from.
Super Typhoon Sinlaku morphed from a tropical cyclone to Category 5 storm in roughly two days
The National Weather Service (NWS) warned: ‘Super Typhoon Sinlaku will bring destructive winds, widespread heavy rain/flooding, thunderstorms, and coastal impacts to the Marianas Islands into Wednesday.’
Forecasters also predicted tropical storm-like conditions over Guam, which has a population of more than 170,000.
Guam is considered an unincorporated territory, meaning the people born there are US citizens and Congress has final authority over what happens on the island, but the residents there cannot vote.
The governor’s office in Guam revealed on Tuesday that flights to and from the island have been cancelled due to the storm, preventing around 1,500 visitors from going home.
Super Typhoon Sinlaku is expected to keep going for several more days before it finally weakens and dissipates over cooler water or land.
The direct impact on the islands, including high winds and heavy rain, will last for roughly the next 24 hours.
However, the aftermath of power outages and flooding cleanup could disrupt life on the islands for weeks or months.
The US military on Guam has been told to shelter in place. President Trump approved emergency disaster declarations for both Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands on Sunday, allowing FEMA and other agencies to help with supplies and recovery.
Tourists on both the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam have been stranded as the typhoon approaches and has already damaged property
A typhoon is the same type of storm as a hurricane, but forms in the West Pacific Ocean
Typhoon season in the Pacific lasts for most of the calendar year, stretching from mid-February through early December.
In the Atlantic, hurricane season is just weeks away, beginning on June 1. AccuWeather has warned that as many as five tropical cyclone projected to directly impact the US mainland in 2026.
Super Typhoon Sinlaku has already made its closest approach to Guam, bringing hurricane-force winds over 80mph. However, meteorologist Landon Aydlett from NWS noted that the storm had entered a major slowdown, dragging out the damage for hours or days.
The damage is expected to be much worse in the Northern Mariana Islands, which is expected to take a direct hit from Sinlaku over the next day.
‘It’s going to be a very long night,’ Aydlett said, according to the Pacific Daily News. ‘Many of you up there in the CNMI probably have a sleepless night, as it’s going to be very loud, a lot of action going on and unfortunately, a lot of damage.’
Another 400 tourists are believed to be trapped in the US commonwealth, which has a population of around 47,000 people, mostly on the island of Saipan.
Hurricane-force winds after struck Guam and sustained winds of more than 140 mph are expected to ravage the Mariana Islands (Pictured) Tuesday
The Mariana Islands are a 14-island archipelago in the western Pacific, forming the US commonwealth that includes Saipan, Tinian and Rota.
Its tourism focuses on World War II history, diving and beaches, and English is the official language. Anyone born there is a US citizen, but they also cannot vote. However, the islands have more self-governing autonomy than other US commonwealths due to a special agreement signed with Congress in 1975.
Guam is also home to a major US military presence in the Pacific, including Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam.
These bases make Guam one of the most important US military hubs in the western Pacific, covering about one-third of the island.
Andersen Air Force Base supports long-range bombers, including the B-52s and B-2s, which can both carry nuclear weapons. Naval Base Guam is home to attack submarines and provides important logistics and support for the US Pacific Fleet.
