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WHAT was thought to be a tropical disturbance forming southeast of the Mariana Islands is actually just an active monsoon weather pattern occurring in Micronesia.
That’s according to Roger Edson, meteorologist for the National Weather Service, who dismissed earlier reports of tropical storm activity.
In the latest report released from the NWS, the pattern covers the southern part of the Marianas as far west as the Republic of Palau to just west of Pohnpei.
“Numerous showers, isolated thunderstorms and westerly to southwesterly winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour with gusts to 40 miles per hour, including 9- to 12-foot seas are occurring over a large area of the tropics,” the report states, but there is no indication of any surface circulation.
The report noted it’s not uncommon for a monsoon circulation to develop and move north quickly.
“It can be more easily determined that the Marianas will be affected by the adverse weather south of the circulation,” the report states.
The NWS is monitoring the circulation along with Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense.
Meanwhile, Guam is currently in Condition of Readiness 4 despite the Joint Region Marianas decision to move to COR 3.
The island can expect rainy weather and gusty winds during the next couple of days, continuing into the weekend.
"We are certainly considering the safety and welfare of the public and we are in constant communication with all the proper stakeholders in the event that we need to move to COR 3," stated Pedro Leon Guerrero, Homeland Security advisor.
