Damaging winds beginning later tonight; Guam to move to COR 1 at 1 pm

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(GHS) Gov. Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero will place Guam in Condition of Readiness (COR) 1 at 1 p.m. today. . At COR1, destructive winds are possible within the next 12 hours. On its current track, Champi is expected to pass just south of Guam Saturday night into Sunday.

(NWS)--Guam, Rota: Typhoon Warning remains in effect.

Saipan, Tinian: Tropical Storm Warning REMAINS in effect. Typhoon Watch REMAINS in effect.

Champi is now a Category 1 typhoon and moving west-northwest at 15 MPH, with maximum sustained winds increased to 85 MPH.

The forecast track takes Champi just south of Guam in the mid-morning hours of Sunday but destructive winds are still expected for all of Guam.

Do not let your guard down. Although the center could pass south of the island, the worst conditions are in the eyewall, which surrounds the center and could potentially sit over southern Guam.

Any deviation north could bring worse conditions to Rota, Tinian, and Saipan.

Champi is forecast to continue intensifying, becoming a Category 3 (110-130 MPH) typhoon prior to its passage through the Marianas. The most likely arrival time for damaging winds appears to be late tonight, around midnight.

IMPACTS

Guam: Total rainfall of 12 to 20 inches, peak winds of 110 to 130 mph with gusts to 160 mph Sunday morning, surf up to 35 FT, significant coastal inundation 5 to 7 FT.

Rota: Total rainfall of 10 to 15 inches, peak winds of 60 to 80 MPH with gusts to 115 MPH Sunday morning, surf 20 to 25 FT, coastal inundation 2 to 4 FT.

Tinian, Saipan: Total rainfall of 4 to 6 inches, peak winds of 40 to 60 MPH with gusts to 80 MPH Sunday morning, surf 15 to 20 FT, coastal inundation 1 to 3 FT.

Residents of the Marianas are encouraged to finish storm preparations by sunset on Saturday, as damaging winds will begin soon thereafter.

Voltage Fluctuations and Power Interruptions During Power Restoration

(GPA) – Guam Power Authority would like to advise our customers that during restoration and recovery, especially after a typhoon, the Island-Wide Power System may be unstable, with fluctuating voltages, power interruptions, and intermittencies occurring. Once your power has been restored to your home or businesses, you may experience outages or interruptions. This is not unusual as the grid is fragile and period of system instability will occur until full restoration is completed.

Please be assured that once your feeder/circuit has been energized your power will return, even as interruptions or outages happen. GPA will make every effort to have power restored to our customers as quickly as possible. Once full restoration is completed around the island, the system will stabilize, and fewer power interruptions will occur.

GPA reminds residents to protect or unplug sensitive electronic equipment to prevent damage due to lightning strikes or power surges. Customers are also advised that if you are experiencing power fluctuations, brownouts, partial power, extremely bright lights, dimming/flickering lights, or water coming out of your outlets, turn off your main breaker as you may cause damage to other appliances.

Following the passage of the storm, customers may report non-emergency power issues - such as damaged weather heads, internal electrical damage requiring Emergency Work Clearances, or inquiries about service restoration - to GPA’s Customer Call Center at (671) 647-5787/8/9, by email at customersfirst@gpagwa.com or by sending a direct message to GPA's Facebook page. The Customer Call Center will operate 24/7 throughout the post-storm recovery period.

For emergency power-related situations, call GPA’s 24-Hour Trouble Dispatch at (671) 475-1472/3/4. Please provide the exact location or address, contact information, and condition of the location.

Residents encouraged to build pet preparedness kits

(DOAG)-- The Guam Department of Agriculture, Division of Animal Health (DAH), is urging pet owners to prepare their animals immediately for dangerous weather this weekend.

Pet owners are urged to take immediate steps to secure their animals, prepare emergency supplies, and ensure pets have a safe place to shelter indoors with their families. Pets should not be left outdoors or behind during the storm.

"Pets depend on us to plan for them. The days before a storm are the time to get your pet's supplies, records, and identification ready, so you are not scrambling when conditions worsen," said Director Chelsa D. Muña, Department of Agriculture.

DAH recommends that pet owners take the following steps:

Build a Pet Preparedness Kit

Food and drinking water for several days, ideally a week or more, plus bowls and a manual can opener.
Medications and copies of medical and vaccination records, including the rabies vaccination certificate, in a waterproof bag.
Current ID tags and an up-to-date microchip registration.
A recent photo of you with your pet, to help prove ownership if you are separated.
A sturdy carrier or crate for each cat and small animal, and a leash and harness for each dog.
Litter, waste bags, paper towels, and cleaning supplies.
Familiar bedding and toys to help reduce stress.

Before the Storm

Bring pets indoors before winds pick up. Never leave pets tied up, chained, or in outdoor kennels.
Plan where your family and pets will shelter, and never leave pets behind.
Fill your vehicle with fuel and have carriers ready in case you need to evacuate.
Keep pets secured and contained, as frightened animals may bolt when doors or windows open.

During the storm

Keep pets inside with the family, in an interior room away from windows and sliding glass doors.
Keep dogs leashed and cats and small animals in carriers.
Stay calm and keep pets close. Animals sense stress and may react to noise and changes in air pressure.

After the storm

Keep dogs leashed and supervise all outdoor time. Familiar landmarks and scents may be changed, and pets can become disoriented.
Watch for downed power lines, debris, standing water, and other hazards, and do not touch loose or tangled wires.
If your pet is lost, contact Guam Animals In Need (G.A.I.N.) or veterinary clinics to see if anyone brought them there. If your pet is microchipped, that is easy identification to reunite you with your lost pet.
Do not let your pet drink from puddles, floodwaters, or stagnant outdoor sources. Post-typhoon runoff is frequently contaminated with toxic chemicals, sewage, and dangerous pathogens like Leptospirosis and Giardia, which can cause severe, life-threatening illnesses in animals.

"Our goal is for every pet on Guam to be safe, identified, and with their family through this storm and afterward," said DOAG Territorial Veterinarian Dr. Mariana Turner.

For the latest forecasts, residents are encouraged to visit www.weather.gov/gum.