As the island enters peak typhoon season, local and federal agencies are urging residents to take disaster preparedness seriously, starting in their own homes. To help the community prepare, Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense has partnered with Tower for Humanity on a grand finale event for National Preparedness Month on Sept. 27 at the Agana Shopping Center.

Landon Aydlett, warning coordination meteorologist at NWS Guam, emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility in disaster readiness. "You have to make sure that you are prepared yourself for any kind of disaster, whether it's natural or man-made, (and that) your family and your workplace is also prepared as well," he said. 

The free public fair will feature booths and displays from dozens of local, territorial and federal agencies. Attendees can learn how to build an emergency kit, find out what to include, and take "baby steps" toward being prepared for any disaster. The event will also feature giveaways, prizes and various activities to engage the whole family.

"It's a great opportunity to see the inner workings of community preparedness," Landon said.

As the community focuses on preparedness, NWS Guam is closely monitoring weather for the upcoming typhoon season, while keeping an eye on historical trends. 

A report that Landon issued in May indicated that the Marianas, Yap and Palau would likely see near-normal activity, while the Federated States of Micronesia and Marshall Islands would see below-normal activity. 

“We would have put out an update in August, but we didn't have any major trends or shifts in the climate pattern to indicate a need for update,” Landon said.

“It has been busier across the western north Pacific. Looking at the numbers, this year we have had 22 tropical cyclones in the western north Pacific — those are tropical depressions, tropical storms and typhoons, whereas last year we just had Tropical Storm Bebinca … taking shape right over Guam and Rota,” he said.

“So it's been busier, but all the activity has been west and northwest of the Mariana Islands — so, not so bad. We only had two tropical systems in the Mariana Islands, and so we were calling for three to five tropical cyclones, and of those, two to four could be typhoon intensity. So far, our projections are just above where we've been as far as actions and observed tropical activity.” 

When asked if the increased activity bodes well or not for the remainder of the season, he explained the recent trend has been predominantly La Niña. This pattern, which has been in place for the last five years with the exception of the 2023 El Niño year, has tended to push tropical cyclone activity to the west and northwest of the Marianas.

"Things develop in our region as a tropical disturbance or a tropical depression and then build into something more significant well west of us in the Philippine Sea," he said. He added that 2023 was "oddly quiet for an El Niño year," which typically sees more storms in the central west Pacific.

Whether this trend is the "new norm" or if the region will eventually see a shift back to more activity across Micronesia and the Mariana Islands "remains to be seen, because the climatological record is still fairly short," he added..

Regardless of the long-term trends, Landon emphasized that the Marianas are now in the peak of typhoon season, which will last for the next several weeks. He stressed the importance of remaining vigilant.

"In the wet season, things can evolve and take shape in a matter of days with little or no warning," he cautioned. "Always maintain that steady state of preparedness, especially if you're living in the islands."