Hurricane (Typhoon) — Saipan, Guam

2015-08-02 to 2015-08-03 · Saipan, Guam

Event narrative

On the morning of the 29th of July a tropical disturbance was located about 250 miles northwest of Kwajalein. The disturbance moved westward as it increased in intensity. Eventually, on the evening of July 30th it became Tropical Depression 13W when it was 985 miles east of Guam. The depression continued to intensify and by the next morning it became Tropical Storm Soudelor. Late in the afternoon of August 2nd Soudelor become a typhoon when it was 60 miles east-southeast of Saipan. During the day radar imagery indicated that the eye was only 5 miles across with a small eyewall surrounding it. Between 11 pm on the 2nd and 12 am on the 3rd Soudelor passed across Saipan. The eye and associated wind field was very small. It is amazing that despite the small size the typhoon managed to pass across Saipan.

Observations from the Saipan International Airport were lacking during the passage of the typhoon. Just before 11 pm the airport did record a sustained winds of 54 mph with a peak gust of 91 mph. This however did not depict the full fury of the storm as

a wind damage assessment showed that winds of 130 mph with gust to 160 mph

were likely.

Despite the damaging winds no fatalities were reported, but 40 people

were injured. Damage across the island of Saipan was extensive.

At the Mobil fuel tank farm a 20 foot cargo container blown by the wind breached a

120,000 gallon fuel storage tank, causing 11,000 of gallons of gasoline to spill

into a containment area around the tank. Another tank of fuel was damaged, causing

500 gallons of diesel fuel to enter the water at the Port of Saipan.

The typhoon caused three vessels to be blown from their moorings which later ran aground in Tanapag Harbor.

At the Saipan International Airport, two Cessna aircraft parked there were damaged.

Rain from the typhoon flooded the power plant in Saipan. The typhoon force winds

toppled power poles across Saipan. It was estimated that 50 percent of the primary

power distribution system was destroyed. The damage amounted to 150 power poles and 114 transformers. Across Saipan roofs were ripped off from houses and cars were flipped over.

An estimated $20 million in damage were the result of the typhoon. At the Saipan

Zoo, there was $150,000 in damage. It was noted that some stores in Saipan donated their meat to the zoo to feed some of the animals. The meat was given because of the lack of power there was no way to refrigerate what they had, so they felt that at least they could donate it.

Typhoon Soudelor also brought devastation to the natural environment in Saipan.

Over 65 percent of of nesting bird species on the island are affected due to loss of nests. Fruit bats also had nesting areas damaged by the typhoon.

Wider weather episode

Typhoon Soudelor moves across the Western Pacific during the two weeks of

August. It passed across the island of Saipan late on the 2nd and early on the

3rd of August.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 601887. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.