Super Typhoon Sinlaku is closing in on the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam, bringing the threat of destructive winds and heavy rainfall to the remote Pacific region.
The storm, which has become the strongest system of 2026 so far, recorded sustained winds of 278 km/hour (173 mph) on Monday, according to the Associated Press.
As of Tuesday, the US Joint Typhoon Warning System tracked the storm approximately 68 nautical miles southeast of Saipan. The system is currently moving at a slow pace of about 14 km/hour (9 mph).
Threat to Guam and Northern Marianas
While Sinlaku appears to be weakening, Guam’s Office of Civil Defence warned that the system remains extremely dangerous. The office expects widespread rain and flooding along with winds capable of causing power outages.
Guam is currently under both a tropical storm warning and a typhoon watch. Local officials stated that while the threat of typhoon-force winds has diminished for the island, the weather event remains serious.
Residents in Guam can expect winds between 64 and 80 km/hour (40 to 50 mph) with gusts reaching 105 km/hour (65 mph). The office also advised the island's 170,000 residents to stay out of the water, as dangerous sea conditions are expected to persist until Thursday.
Before approaching the Mariana Islands, Sinlaku caused significant damage to the outer islands of Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesion. Meteorologist Landon Aydlett of the Guam weather service confirmed the storm's impact on those atolls.
The region is already reeling from recent destruction caused by Tropical Cyclone Maila. That storm killed at least 11 people following floods and landslides over the weekend.
In response to the recent cyclone damage, Australia pledged $1.75 million in assistance to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands this week. Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape said authorities are still assessing the full extent of the damage caused by Maila.