Super typhoon Bavi nears Guam as US islands brace for impact

Super Typhoon Bavi is closing in on Guam and the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands, forcing emergency evacuations across U.S. Pacific territories on Sunday, July 5, 2026. The U.S. National Weather Service calls the storm "very dangerous," warning of catastrophic damage, torrential flooding, and waves up to 35 feet as Bavi nears early Monday with winds near 160 mph.

Key Takeaways

• Super Typhoon Bavi is forecast to strike Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands early Monday with Category 5-equivalent winds.
• Guam opened five school-based evacuation centers with limited capacity as officials urged vulnerable residents to shelter immediately.
• The NWS warns of catastrophic damage, coastal inundation, and deadly winds lasting eight to 10 hours around the storm's center.
• Bavi is the second super typhoon to threaten the region in 2026, following April's Sinlaku, which caused $1.5 billion in damage.
• Residents and businesses face prolonged disruption across U.S. Pacific territories as the storm tracks westward.

Why is Super Typhoon Bavi considered "very dangerous"?

The U.S. National Weather Service described Bavi as a "very dangerous" system capable of causing catastrophic damage near its center. Forecasters expect sustained winds up to 257 km/h (160 mph), with the Joint Typhoon Warning Center projecting gusts as high as 180 knots (207 mph).

Significant flooding from torrential rains and coastal inundation are expected across the region. Waves could reach nearly 11 meters (35 feet) on Monday, creating extremely hazardous marine conditions. The NWS warned that winds will pose a deadly threat to anyone venturing outside during the storm.

Bavi has been classified as a super typhoon by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, a U.S. Navy unit that monitors tropical storms in the western Pacific. Super typhoons carry winds exceeding 130 knots (150 mph), with destructive potential equivalent to a Category 4 or 5 hurricane.

What is happening in Guam right now?

Emergency evacuations are underway across Guam, a U.S. territory of roughly 170,000 people. Officials opened five evacuation centers at elementary schools in Astumbo, Machananao, Maria A. Ulloa, Ordot/Chalan Pago, and Talo'fo'fo, with a combined capacity of around 1,700 people.

By Sunday afternoon local time, one evacuation site had already reached maximum capacity and residents were redirected to another location. The window to evacuate vulnerable housing is rapidly closing, according to the NWS, which urged anyone in flood-prone or wind-vulnerable homes to seek shelter immediately.

Destructive conditions could persist for eight to 10 hours before and after the storm's center passes. Bavi is expected to move through Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands by Monday afternoon, though the worst impacts may arrive early Monday morning.

How does this compare to earlier storms in 2026?

Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands already endured Super Typhoon Sinlaku in April 2026. That storm killed 17 people and caused approximately $1.5 billion in damage across the region. Bavi marks the second super typhoon to threaten the U.S. Pacific territories this year.

The Northern Marianas archipelago of about 40,000 people is bracing for another major strike while still recovering from Sinlaku's devastation, as Bloomberg reported. Bavi will be the 11th Category 4 or 5 tropical cyclone to hit U.S. territory in the past decade.

For ongoing regional risk coverage, see our Fintech & Crypto Alerts section, which tracks disruptions affecting U.S. Pacific infrastructure and recovery spending.

What should residents expect in the coming hours?

Tropical storm-force winds are expected to begin Sunday afternoon or evening, intensifying into typhoon conditions early Monday. The NWS said destructive conditions could arrive well before the storm's center passes, and all islands across the southern Mariana chain are likely to experience significant impacts regardless of the exact track.

Local civil defence officials continue issuing advisories as Bavi hurtles toward the territories. Residents are urged to remain indoors once conditions deteriorate, as outside winds will pose a deadly threat through the storm's passage.

Full details on shelter locations and storm advisories are available from the BBC's live reporting on evacuations in Guam as Super Typhoon Bavi approaches.