SAIPAN — Tropical Storm Higos was slowly strengthening Tuesday afternoon but had begun moving away from Tinian and Saipan, the CNMI Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management said, as a Tropical Storm Warning and Tropical Storm Condition I remained in effect for both islands.
In Bulletin No. 2, issued at 2:00 PM, the office said the storm, also designated 08W, was centered near latitude 14.8 degrees north and longitude 145.1 degrees east as of the 1:00 PM fix. That placed the center about 40 miles west-southwest of Tinian, 45 miles west-southwest of Saipan, 45 miles north-northwest of Rota and 95 miles north-northeast of Guam.
Higos was moving west-northwest at 10 miles per hour and was expected to maintain that general course with a slight increase in forward speed through Wednesday. Maximum sustained winds remained at 40 miles per hour, and the storm was forecast to intensify through the night. Tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 70 miles from the center.
Governor David M. Apatang maintained Tropical Storm Condition I for Saipan and Tinian as of 2:00 PM, the office said. The condition means winds of 39 miles per hour or more are expected or occurring.
The CNMI Emergency Operations Center State Warning Point said it would continue monitoring the storm and issuing bulletins. An intermediate bulletin was scheduled for 5:00 PM, followed by the next regular bulletin at 8:00 PM. Residents were urged to stay informed through local media, NOAA Weather Radio by phone at 211, or by calling the State Warning Point at 237-8000 or 664-8000.
