Tropical Depression Forms S-SE of Guam

by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - The tropical disturbance the National Weather Service has been monitoring has now been upgraded to tropical depression 03W by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. The poorly defined center of the newly formed tropical depression was located about 165 miles South-Southeast of Guam near latitude 11.2 degrees north and longitude 145.6 degrees East and moving slowly toward the West-Northwest. According to the NWS the forecast track takes the center of this system Southwest of Guam later tonight and early tomorrow morning before moving toward he Northwest and passing well West of Saipan Tuesday night. Scattered to numerous showers and isolated thunderstroms are expected to bring locally heavy rain and wind gusts possibly as high as 35 miles per hour initially to Guam and later for the Southern islands of the CNMI through Tuesday night.

Guam Homeland Security/ Office of Civil Defense is also monitoring the tropical depression. According to a media release they are urging residents to secure loose debris around the house as the depression will bring wind gusts as high as 30 miles per hour. Motorists should exercise extreme caution while driving, as heavy rain and ponding of water can create unsafe driving conditions.

Meanwhile the National Weather Service has issued a small craft advisory which is in effect now until Wednesday at six o'clock in the morning. Winds of 20 knots with frequent gusts to 30 knots and combined seas of 8 to 9 feet are expected to produce conditions hazardous to operators of small craft tonight through Tuesday night. The NWS advises inexperienced mariners especially those operating smaller vessels to avoid boating in these conditions.