Typhoons on the Northern Mariana Islands
Typhoons occurfrequently in Northern Marianas. On average, they happen about 6 times a year. The hardest hit cities are San Jose Village and Saipan.The typhoon season in the Pacific usually begins with less severe storms in April and does not end until November. The most severe typhoons usually occur in August and September.
The most severe typhoon to make landfall in Northern Marianas in the past 12 months was »Mawar«. It reached a wind speed of up to 270 km/h on May 25, 2023 at 7:00 pm local time near San Jose Village and was 144 kilometers in diameter at the time. According to the internationally accepted Saffir-Simpson classification, this corresponded to a category 5 typhoon. On the open sea, speeds of up to 294 km/h were measured.
Other natural hazards on the Northern Mariana Islands:
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Current super typhoon: Mawar
On May 20, 2023 at 10:00 am, typhoon »Mawar« formed in the Northwest Pacific with an initial wind speed of 46 km/h. The storm system initially moved north at 6 km/h and reached a diameter of 457 kilometers. On May 26, 2023 at 10:00 am, it reached its highest wind speed to date of 294 kilometers per hour. This corresponds to a category 5 typhoon. On June 2, 2023 at 4:00 pm, Mawar made landfall near the city of Naze in Japan. At that time, the typhoon had a wind speed of 83 km/h and a diameter of 343 kilometers.
Mawar has since subsided and is no longer under observation by the authorities. Its last position was about 286 km southwest of Japan on June 3rd at 4:00 pm.
Current satellite image of the western Pacific
07.06.2023 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent typhoons on the Northern Mariana Islands since 2018
Mawar: May 20 to June 3, 2023
Wind speed:
max. 294 km/h
on land:
max. 270 km/h
Diameter:
max. 915 km
Air pressure:
below 897 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Most Affected Cities
San Jose Village
San Jose Village
Malakas: April 7-15, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 213 km/h
Diameter:
max. 826 km
Air pressure:
below 939 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The typhoon did not make direct landfall on the Northern Mariana Islands. On April 10th, 2022 at 7:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 634 km southeast of San Jose Village.
Nyatoh: November 29 to December 4, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 241 km/h
Diameter:
max. 185 km
Air pressure:
below 928 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The typhoon did not make direct landfall on the Northern Mariana Islands. On November 29th, 2021 at 10:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 444 km southeast of San Jose Village.
Nyatoh: November 28 to December 4, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 241 km/h
on land:
max. 37 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1000 km
Air pressure:
below 925 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Most Affected Cities
San Jose Village
San Jose Village
Mindulle: September 22 to October 2, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 267 km/h
Diameter:
max. 204 km
Air pressure:
below 908 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The typhoon did not make direct landfall on the Northern Mariana Islands. On September 23rd, 2021 at 4:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 171 km southeast of San Jose Village.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Inarajan Village in Guam on September 23rd at 1:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Inarajan Village in Guam on September 23rd at 1:00 pm.
Mindulle: September 22 to October 6, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 254 km/h
on land:
max. 65 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1437 km
Air pressure:
below 917 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Most Affected Cities
San Jose Village
San Jose Village
Omais: August 10-24, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 94 km/h
Diameter:
max. 296 km
Air pressure:
below 993 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The typhoon did not make direct landfall on the Northern Mariana Islands. On August 17th, 2021 at 10:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 101 km south of San Jose Village.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Yigo Village in Guam on August 17th at 7:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Yigo Village in Guam on August 17th at 7:00 am.
Omais: August 7-31, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 96 km/h
on land:
max. 37 km/h
Diameter:
max. 630 km
Air pressure:
below 993 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Most Affected Cities
San Jose Village
San Jose Village
Champi: June 21-28, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 120 km/h
Diameter:
max. 130 km
Air pressure:
below 987 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The typhoon did not make direct landfall on the Northern Mariana Islands. On June 22nd, 2021 at 7:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 247 km southeast of San Jose Village.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Merizo Village in Guam on June 22nd at 4:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Merizo Village in Guam on June 22nd at 4:00 am.
Champi: June 19-28, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 120 km/h
on land:
max. 50 km/h
Diameter:
max. 574 km
Air pressure:
below 980 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Most Affected Cities
San Jose Village
San Jose Village
Goni: October 25 to November 6, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 309 km/h
Diameter:
max. 611 km
Air pressure:
below 888 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The typhoon did not make direct landfall on the Northern Mariana Islands. On October 27th, 2020 at 4:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 333 km east of San Jose Village.
Haishen: August 30 to September 10, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 250 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1482 km
Air pressure:
below 910 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The typhoon did not make direct landfall on the Northern Mariana Islands. On September 2nd, 2020 at 7:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 295 km northeast of Saipan.
Kammuri: November 24 to December 6, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 217 km/h
on land:
max. 93 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1000 km
Air pressure:
below 940 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Most Affected Cities
San Jose Village
San Jose Village
Fengshen: November 9-18, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 213 km/h
on land:
max. 115 km/h
Diameter:
max. 463 km
Eye:
max. 37 km
Air pressure:
below 947 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Most Affected Cities
Saipan
Saipan
Halong: November 1-10, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 306 km/h
Diameter:
max. 722 km
Air pressure:
below 888 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
The typhoon did not make direct landfall on the Northern Mariana Islands. On November 6th, 2019 at 1:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 473 km northwest of Saipan.
Bualoi: October 17-26, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 259 km/h
on land:
max. 232 km/h
Diameter:
max. 889 km
Eye:
max. 56 km
Air pressure:
below 922 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Most Affected Cities
Saipan
Saipan
Hagibis: October 4-14, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 296 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1389 km
Eye:
max. 148 km
Air pressure:
below 896 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Most Affected Cities
Saipan
Saipan
Peipah: September 12-17, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 65 km/h
Diameter:
max. 556 km
Air pressure:
below 999 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The typhoon did not make direct landfall on the Northern Mariana Islands. On September 15th, 2019 at 7:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 133 km northwest of Saipan.
Krosa: August 4-17, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 185 km/h
on land:
max. 115 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1759 km
Air pressure:
below 945 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
Most Affected Cities
Saipan
Saipan
Wutip: February 18 to March 2, 2019
Wind speed:
max. 269 km/h
Diameter:
max. 889 km
Eye:
max. 56 km
Air pressure:
below 895 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 5
Most Affected Cities
San Jose Village
San Jose Village
These evaluations are based on data from the National Centers for Environmental Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Individual data have been summarized or translated.
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