As a man carries a bag of fish along the banks of the Mekong River in Phnom Penh, Cambodia prepares for potential storm damage from Super Typhoon Sinlaku, highlighting the widespread impact of severe weather across the Pacific. Meanwhile, the Mariana Islands archipelago in the western Pacific, including the US territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, is bracing for extreme conditions early this week as Super Typhoon Sinlaku approaches rapidly.
Intensification and Path of Super Typhoon Sinlaku
The system originated as a cluster of thunderstorms over the seas of Micronesia before strengthening into a tropical storm and then a typhoon on Friday and Saturday. Over the weekend, it began to push north-west while rapidly intensifying, with sustained winds reaching 150mph on Sunday. As the storm moves through the western Pacific islands early this week, forecasts predict it will strengthen further, with winds potentially hitting 165mph.
Impact on Mariana Islands
A slight northward shift in its track makes a direct hit on Guam – the most populous island and westernmost territory of the US – unlikely. Instead, Saipan and Tinian are expected to bear the brunt of the most severe conditions. The National Weather Service in Guam has issued several warnings for the Mariana Islands. Sinlaku's powerful winds, combined with forecast rainfall totals exceeding 300mm between Monday and Thursday, are expected to whip up hazardous seas and storm surges before the storm's arrival. These are likely to be followed by flash flooding, mudslides, and significant wind damage.
Unusual Timing and Classification
While typhoons can occur at any time of year in this region, the peak season typically runs from June to November, making a typhoon of this intensity in April particularly unusual. With winds exceeding 130 knots (150mph), the Joint Typhoon Warning Center classifies Sinlaku as a super typhoon. If it were located over the North Atlantic, it would be classified as a category 4 hurricane, with the potential to rise to category 5 at its peak. The terms "typhoon", "hurricane", and "cyclone" describe the same meteorological phenomenon – the terminology varies by region.
Other Pacific Weather Systems
Meanwhile, in the South Pacific, shortly after Cyclone Maila struck Papua New Guinea last week, another weather system developed. Tropical Cyclone Vaianu formed on 5 April and moved south-eastwards, passing close to Fiji without making landfall. It was then reclassified as an extratropical cyclone – not due to weakening, as average winds still reached 65mph, but because of a change in its structure.
Impact on New Zealand
As Vaianu passed over New Zealand, red warnings for strong winds were issued over the weekend. In some regions, gusts peaked at 80mph, leading to widespread power outages and evacuations. The storm also generated massive ocean swell that battered the north coast of New Zealand, where one buoy recorded an 11-metre wave, underscoring the destructive power of these weather events across the Pacific.
