SAIPAN — The Typhoon Warning for Saipan and Tinian has been cancelled, marking the end of direct typhoon threat to the main CNMI islands as Typhoon Sinlaku weakened to 100 mph and moved 290 miles north of Saipan Friday morning, according to a weather alert prepared by NWS Guam meteorologist Landon Aydlett.
Neither typhoon-force nor tropical storm-force winds are expected on Saipan, Tinian or Rota. A Typhoon Warning remains in effect only for Agrihan, Pagan and Alamagan in the Northern Islands, where the storm is passing today. Sinlaku will make its second pass through the CNMI island chain Friday, crossing near or over Asuncion and Maug Islands at the far northern end of the chain.
The remaining life-safety threat is the water. Aydlett issued a direct warning: do not go in the water. Seas of up to 23 feet remain in Saipan and Tinian coastal waters through this evening. Surf of 17 to 20 feet is crashing along reefs and beaches, generating potentially deadly rip currents. A Thursday afternoon flyover confirmed that surf is washing over mid-rise limestone cliffs along some exposures on Rota, Tinian and parts of Saipan. Residents should also avoid standing along limestone cliffs and surf-side cliffs.
Aydlett also addressed two rumors circulating on social media. The claim that Sinlaku will curve and affect the Marshall Islands is false as the storm will continue northeastward into the open North Pacific and poses no threat to any islands in the NWS Guam area of responsibility. The claim that another typhoon is forming behind Sinlaku is also false as the NWS Guam is not tracking any tropical cyclones or suspect development areas for at least the next week. Weather across the Marianas will be fair and favorable for recovery and cleanup efforts.
