A typhoon warning is in effect for Guam and Rota as Tropical Storm Champi strengthens and moves west toward the Mariana Islands, while Tinian and Saipan are under a tropical storm warning and typhoon watch.
In a 9:43 p.m. ChST local statement Friday, October 16, the National Weather Service in Tiyan said Champi’s center was about 510 miles east-southeast of Guam at 8 p.m. ChST, near 11.6°N, 152.1°E. The storm had sustained winds of 60 mph and was moving west at 13 mph.
Warning, watch and flood status
- Typhoon warning: Guam and Rota. Typhoon conditions are expected within the warning area, and preparations should be rushed to completion.
- Tropical storm warning and typhoon watch: Tinian and Saipan. Tropical storm conditions are expected, while typhoon conditions remain possible.
- Flood watch: Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan through Sunday afternoon.
- High surf warning: all four islands from 5 p.m. Saturday to 4 a.m. Monday, with a coastal flood watch also beginning Saturday afternoon.
The distinctions matter: a warning means the hazardous conditions are expected, while a watch means they are possible. The exact track and intensity remain uncertain, but the NWS said Champi was likely to move near Guam as a typhoon.
Rainfall and wind impacts
The flood watch calls for potentially exceptional rainfall: 12 to 20 inches on Guam, 10 to 18 inches on Rota, and 8 to 12 inches on Tinian and Saipan. Torrential rain could produce extensive street flooding and rises on creeks and rivers, especially in poor-drainage and flood-prone locations.
For Guam, sustained tropical-storm-force winds were expected to begin late Saturday evening. Marine forecasts warned that seas could rise to about 25 feet near Champi’s closest passage, creating catastrophic conditions for small craft and extremely dangerous conditions for larger vessels.
What changed
Earlier guidance had the Marianas under a typhoon watch. The latest official products upgraded Guam and Rota to a typhoon warning and placed Tinian and Saipan under a tropical storm warning while retaining the typhoon watch there. Guam was placed in Condition of Readiness 2 at 1 p.m. ChST Friday.
Residents should use current NWS Guam and local emergency-management instructions, complete storm preparations before winds make outdoor work unsafe, and never drive into floodwater. More reports are available in the AskNovus Weather section.
Official updates
- NWS Guam: Champi local statement and active hazards — October 16, 2026
- National Weather Service Guam forecast office — current
- FOX Weather: Pacific storms including Champi — updated October 15, 2026
Featured image: Guam coastline, photographed by Lucie Rangel on Unsplash. The photo is illustrative and does not depict Champi.