NWS Continue to Monitor What is Now Tropical Storm Shanshan

The National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Forecast Office Guam continue to monitor Tropical Storm Shanshan as it drifts west-northwest.

At 7 p.m., Tropical Storm Shanshan was located 18.3 degrees north latitude and 150.2 degrees east longitude, about 495 miles northeast of Guam. It is expected to pass about 215 miles northwest of Agrihan Island early Saturday afternoon.

A tropical storm warning remains in effect for Agrihan, Pagan and Alamagan in the Northern Mariana Islands. There are no storm watches or warnings in effect for Guam or the CNMI.

A small craft advisory remains in effect for Guam, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan coastal waters through Sunday night. Southwest winds of 19 to 29 mph and seas building as high as 11 feet will produce hazardous conditions for operators of small craft over the weekend. Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels, should avoid sailing in these conditions.

A high surf advisory is in effect for Guam, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan, from 6 a.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Monday. There is a high risk of rip currents from Saturday morning through late Sundaynight. The community are advised to avoid venturing near reef lines and beaches, especially those facing west, where rip currents will be life-threatening. If caught in a rip current, swim parallel to shore and back toward the beach when possible. Do not attempt to swim directly against a rip current.

To prepare for any situation, including increased winds and rain, it is advised to take basic precautionary actions now. To prepare for any scenario, residents and visitors are advised to:

Locate or prepare your emergency preparedness kits for your household
Clear any loose debris around your yard and store any items, such as canopies, that may become airborne in heavy wind
Gas your vehicles and get fuel for your generators
Stay up to date in the event there are additional advisories
Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop. The following are basic flood safety tips to keep in mind:
Now is a good time to clear drainage areas and un-block clogged storm drains in your area to minimize the chance of flooding.
Avoid walking or driving through flood waters.
Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down, and 2 feet of water can sweep your vehicle away.
If there is a chance of flash flooding, move immediately to higher ground.
If floodwaters rise around your car but the water is not moving, abandon the car and move to higher ground. Do not leave the car and enter moving water.
Avoid camping or parking along streams, rivers, and creeks during heavy rainfall. These areas can flood quickly and with little warning.

Visit https://www.ready.gov/floods to learn more.

The Offices of Guam Homeland Security and Civil Defense (GHS/OCD) remind all residents and visitors to practice extreme caution if traveling in these conditions through the weekend. Monitor the latest advisory information through the following sites, especially if outdoor or marine activities were planned:

NWS Website: http://www.prh.noaa.gov/guam/
NWS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NWSGuam/
GHS/OCD Website: https://ghs.guam.gov/
GHS/OCD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHSOCD/

For more information, contact GHS/OCD Public Information Officer, Jenna G. Blas at (671) 489-2540 or via email at jenna.g.blas@ghs.guam.gov.

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

Wildfire

Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

Fire Weather

Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought

X
Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents.

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.