Typhoon Dolphin to Threaten Guam Later This Week

By Eric Leister, Meteorologist

May 12,2015; 5:47PM,EDT

 

 

Dolphin has been meandering across the open waters of the western Pacific Ocean since developing last week.
Dolphin has slowly been becoming better organized, and as of Wednesday morning, had strengthened into a typhoon. This strengthening trend will continue through the week as Dolphin tracks westward from Micronesia toward Guam.
Through Wednesday, Dolphin will pick up speed passing to the north of Fananu and Chuuk while likely strengthening.

From Thursday into Friday, strengthening will continue as the expected typhoon approaches Guam from the southwest. Dolphin is expected to pass very close to Guam leading to typhoon conditions with torrential rainfall and damaging winds in excess of 110 km/h (70 mph).
These conditions will likely lead to power outages and flash flooding across Guam as well as the southern third of the Mariana Islands.
After departing Guam, Dolphin will turn to the northwest and continue strengthening as it moves over the open waters east of the Philippines and south of Japan. During this time, it is possible that Dolphin could achieve super typhoon status with sustained winds over 240 km/h (150 mph).
A trough that will move from eastern Asia into Japan will then lift Dolphin northward next week, keeping the cyclone away from the Philippines, where former Super Typhoon Noul lashed northeastern Luzon over the weekend.
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This trough will pull Dolphin toward Japan; however, depending on how quickly the trough advances eastward, Dolphin could miss Japan entirely. If the trough is slower, then Dolphin may track farther west allowing heavy rain and strong winds to impact Japan.
Anyone with interests in Guam or Japan should closely monitor the forecast for Tropical Storm Dolphin over the next five to 10 days as it moves across the Western Pacific Ocean.