By Pacific Island Times News Staff
Supertyphoon Champi began pulling away after making its closest approach to Guam about 4:26 a.m. today, passing about 10 miles south of Merizo and moving at 150 miles per hour.
While Champi may have left some significant impacts, meteorologist Brandon Aydlett, “we definitely spared the worst by seeing the eye and the eye wall passing just offshore of Guam.”
Champi continued to move west-northwest quickly at 16 miles per hour, ultimately limiting the duration of those severe typhoon conditions, as of 8 a.m., Aydlett said.
In the CNMI, Gov. David M. Apatang canceled Condition III for Saipan and Tinian effective 11 a.m. today, but Rota remains in Condition I.
"This is not an all clear. Damaging winds are no longer expected, but gusty winds, heavy showers and dangerous surf remain," according to the CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
“Over the past six hours or so, we see that we had a very, very close passage of the eye of the intensifying Super Typhoon Champi, which passed extremely close to Guam,” he said. “We really can't get any closer than what we had without having a direct hit and significant and catastrophic impacts of a Super Typhoon striking Guam.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency today announced today that federal disaster assistance is available to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to supplement territory and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Champi beginning on Oct. 16, 2026, and continuing.
President Donald Trump today approved an emergency declaration for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, paving the way for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster assistance to supplement local response efforts.
The president’s action authorizes the coordination of all federal disaster relief efforts "to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance to save lives, to protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe," FEMA said in a press release.
The weather service said damaging winds continue across Guam, with the strongest typhoon-force winds concentrated over southern Guam. Winds are expected to gradually weaken through this afternoon.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms continue, with flash flooding possible in low-lying areas, on roadways and in areas with poor drainage.
Guam and CNMI residents are advised to avoid flooded roads and stay away from the coastline due to dangerous surf and coastal flooding and to remain indoors.
"Cancellation of conditions means that damaging winds are no longer expected, although residents should maintain precautionary measures for strong gusty winds and heavy rain showers associated with feeder band activity," the CNMI emergency office said.
Officials warned that hazardous marine conditions, especially dangerous deadly surf and coastal innundation/run-up along west-facing shores, remain a significant threat.