Typhoon Maysak May Threaten the Philippines, Yap as a Typhoon

Jon Erdman
Published: March 29,2015




 
Earlier in March, Tropical Cyclone Pam made a direct hit on the southern islands of Vanuatu in the south Pacific.
(PAM: Before/After Imagery | How You Can Help | Four Tropical Cyclones At Once)
Now, another tropical cyclone threat is emerging in the Pacific Ocean as we close out March and enter April. Typhoon Maysak will continue to impact parts of Micronesia through early week and could possibly threaten the Philippines next weekend. (Note: Tropical cyclones are called typhoons in the western Pacific Ocean and are what we commonly know as hurricanes in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific Oceans.)
(INTERACTIVE: Current Satellite Loop of Maysak)
After being designated a tropical depression by the U.S. Joint Typhoon Warning Center Friday morning, U.S. EDT, Maysak strengthened into a typhoon on Saturday.

Infrared Satellite: Maysak

Typhoon Maysak first impacted Chuuk State, a group of Micronesian islands about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) southeast of Guam. Winds gusted as high as 71 mph Chuuk International Airport on Weno Island in the Chuuk State of Micronesian on Sunday, local time. (Chuuk is 14 hours ahead of eastern daylight time.)
As Maysak continues on a general west-northwest course, it is expected to strengthen, possibly undergoing a period of rapid intensification - defined as a gain in maximum sustained winds of at least 30 knots (about 35 mph) in 24 hours or less.

Forecast path and peak sustained winds of Maysak over the next five days. Circles denote uncertainty in the position of the center at each forecast point.

Fortunately, Maysak's center is expected to track sufficiently far south of Guam Monday to limit impacts to perhaps some outer rainbands and high surf on east, southeast or southwest-facing beaches.
(FORECAST: Guam)
Perhaps not so fortunate are the Yap Islands, a group of four separate islands about 843 kilometers (524 miles) southwest of Guam.
On its present path, Maysak's center may pass close to the Yap Islands late Tuesday night, local time, potentially as an intense typhoon (the equivalent of a Category 4 tropical cyclone). The island group's population as of 2010 was just over 11,000.
It remains too early to tell if and how heavily Maysak may eventually impact the Philippines. If Maysak would track into the Philippines, it would do so next weekend. All interests in the Philippines should monitor closely the progress of Maysak.
(FORECAST: Manila | Tacloban)
Maysak is Cambodian for a kind of tree.
Western Pacific Ocean tropical cyclones, called typhoons, can occur any time of the year, but typically hit a relative minimum in February and early March.

MORE: Cyclone Pam's Devastation (Mar. 2015)