A strengthening hurricane named Bavi was forecast on Friday evening local time to rapidly intensify and strike the Northern Marianas Islands as a dangerous Category 5 storm early next week. The National Weather Service said the system posed a significant threat to the Marianas Islands, with Guam, Saipan and Tinian all inside the wider warning picture.
The forecast put Bavi at about 105 knots and moving west-northwest at about 12 knots. Forecast surf around the Marianas was expected to reach 25-35 feet, with waves up to 40 feet near the center of the storm.
Jessica Worst and the Coast Guard move
Jessica Worst, commander for USCG Forces Micronesia and Sector Guam, said the Coast Guard was already moving boats, securing its base and getting its cutters underway. “Our team is moving boats, securing our base, and getting our cutters underway — the community has that same window to get ready, and it's closing. Don't wait for the warning to tell you what you already know is coming. Use today to prepare,” she said.
The cutters homeported in Apra were leaving ahead of the arrival of tropical storm force winds, and the station's small boats were being trailered off to safe storage before the storm's arrival. That leaves local search and rescue capability reduced before Bavi reaches the islands, a gap that matters most for mariners and anyone caught offshore as conditions tighten.
Tinian, Guam and Saipan
The latest National Weather Service track centered on Tinian, but the forecast uncertainty could still pull Bavi farther south toward Guam or north toward Saipan. That spread matters because the storm is not just a point forecast; the wind field and sea state stretch well beyond the center, which is why residents and maritime interests in Guam and Saipan were told to prepare urgently.
Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero declared a state of emergency in Guam and urged residents to make preparations. Her warning comes after the region was hit earlier in 2026 by Typhoon Sinlaku, when high winds and waves claimed the lives of the six-member crew of the cargo vessel Mariana at sea.
Marianas Islands under pressure
Bavi's expected intensification over warm water means the next check on the forecast is whether the storm holds its projected track and strength through the weekend. A turn toward Guam or a shift north toward Saipan would change which communities face the strongest winds first, but the present plan from the Coast Guard and local officials is to prepare before the window closes.
For residents and maritime interests, the immediate step is simple: finish preparations while the islands still have time, because the Coast Guard is already moving its small boats to safe storage and the weather window is narrowing fast.
Readers can follow the latest hurricane logistics in the broader region through this parade planning update and a separate note on Super Rugby final officiating.
