GUAM — Emergency evacuations are underway in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as Typhoon Bavi approaches. The U.S. National Weather Service forecasts the storm to make landfall early Monday morning with winds up to 160 mph (257 km/h) and warned it could cause catastrophic damage, significant flooding from torrential rains, and waves reaching nearly 35 feet high.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center, part of the U.S. Navy, classified Bavi as a super typhoon. The agency predicts winds of 173 mph upon arrival, with gusts potentially reaching 207 mph. Destructive conditions are expected for eight to 10 hours before or after the storm's center arrives. The National Weather Service in Guam issued a Typhoon Watch early Saturday for Guam, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan, predicting seas up to 45 feet for offshore waters.

Guam has opened five evacuation centers in schools with a maximum capacity of approximately 1,700 people, primarily for vulnerable individuals. Guam's civil defense office reported Sunday at 13:00 local time that one site had reached full capacity, redirecting residents elsewhere. The U.S. National Weather Service said, "The window is rapidly closing to evacuate if directed to do so by local officials, or if your home is vulnerable to high winds or flooding." The agency also stated that winds "will pose a deadly threat to those venturing outside."

Typhoon Bavi underwent rapid intensification over warm Pacific waters east of Guam on Thursday and Friday. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center classified it as the world's third Category 5 tropical cyclone of the year at 2 p.m. EDT on July 3, 2026, with 160 mph winds. The agency predicts Bavi will peak with 175 mph winds at 6Z on Sunday, July 5, 2026.

Typhoon Bavi is expected to pass directly over Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands by Monday afternoon. The U.S. National Weather Service considers super typhoons to have the equivalent destructive potential of a category four or five hurricane. This event marks the 11th category four or five tropical cyclone to hit U.S. territory in the past decade, compared to 10 such cyclones recorded in the 57 years prior.