New storm developing
By John Ravelo
Reporter
With the islands still reeling from the devastation caused by Supertyphoon Chaba, the Mariana Islands are now bracing for possible storm conditions this weekend.
The National Weather Service reported that a tropical disturbance has been developing east of the islands since yesterday, predicting that it would become a tropical depression within 24 hours.
The NWS advised residents to closely monitor the developing weather disturbance, which might reach the islands by Sunday. The NWS said tropical storm conditions might possibly be felt in the Marianas Saturday through Sunday.
The NWS located the circulation center of the disturbance about 500 miles east-southeast of Saipan and 550 miles east of Guam around 7am yesterday. The NWS said the disturbance could move westward at a slow pace and reach the islands by Sunday.
Once a group of thunderstorms come together under the right atmospheric conditions for a long enough time, they may organize into a tropical depression.
A tropical depression becomes a storm when wind strength reaches 39-74mph. A storm elevates into a typhoon when wind strength reaches at least 75mph. Once wind strength intensifies to at least 150mph, the weather disturbance becomes a supertyphoon.
Emergency Management Office director Rudolfo Pua advised residents to monitor weather developments through the media or by calling the EMO hotlines 322-0220 and 322-0222.
He said the EMO has been closely communicating with the NWS to monitor how the weather disturbance develops.
Kevin Vang
APCEDI Coordinator
http://www.afap.org/apcedi
http://www.afap.org/
http://www.birdquest.net/