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Guam is an island territory of the United States, located in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, and is part of the
Mariana Islands The Mariana Islands (; also the Marianas; in Chamorro: ''Manislan Mariånas'') are a crescent-shaped archipelago comprising the summits of fifteen longitudinally oriented, mostly dormant volcanic mountains in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, betw ...
. Guam lies in the path of typhoons and it is common for the island to be threatened by tropical depressions and storms, and occasional typhoons during the wet season. The highest risk of typhoons is from August through November. They can, however, occur year-round. This is a list of typhoons that caused deaths, injuries and/or damage on Guam. Typhoons are monitored by the United States Joint Typhoon Warning Center and due to the potential damage typhoons can cause, the tropical cyclones are concerns towards civilian and military communities on the island. Some of the typhoons that had significantly impacted Guam between 1945 and 2000 were Typhoon Karen of
1962 Events January * January 1 – Western Samoa becomes independent from New Zealand. * January 3 – Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro for preaching communism. * January 8 – Harmelen train disaster: 93 die in the wors ...
, Pamela of
1976 Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 Phila ...
, Omar of
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, and
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of
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.


Background

Guam is the southernmost island of the
Mariana Islands The Mariana Islands (; also the Marianas; in Chamorro: ''Manislan Mariånas'') are a crescent-shaped archipelago comprising the summits of fifteen longitudinally oriented, mostly dormant volcanic mountains in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, betw ...
and an overseas territory of the United States. Being in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, the island is often threatened by typhoons in a year-round basis. In preparations for the storms, the island may be put under Tropical Cyclone Condition of Readiness, instructing residents towards safety based on the severity of the storm. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center monitors the basin, and issues warnings on significant tropical cyclones for the United States Government, assigning them two-digit TC numbers (with suffix "W"). These warnings use a 1-minute sustained wind speed and can be compared to the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale; however, the JTWC uses their own scale for intensity classifications in this basin. The United States' Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) unofficially classifies typhoons with wind speeds of at least —the equivalent of a strong Category 4 storm on the Saffir–Simpson scale—as ''super typhoons''. Tropical cyclogenesis in the West Pacific commences over the summer monsoon trough. The trough peaks on October, before being dominated by winter trade winds by December. Guam is located east of the primary area for development.


List of storms


Pre-1900s

* October 7, 1671: "Eye passed directly over island, with most of the homes on the island toppled, as well as the church and the rectory suffering the same fate. A great many people were killed by falling debris and inadequate shelter while the damage to agriculture crops was a serious loss to the people." * November 11, 1680: "It lasted two days and caused frightful disorder. Almost all the houses were toppled over, canoes smashed, trees and crops ruined. To add to the disaster, the sea became so swollen that the people were obliged to flee to the mountains" * November 20, 1693: "It began at dusk on the night of November 20 with a deluge of rain. The wind moved from north to south and whipped up the sea to such a manner that it seemed as if the island of Guam would be submerged. The sea broke its bounds and spread inland taking trees, houses and churches with it. Even the fortress at Agana toppled and was washed away. Not a house nor building remained standing on the island. Inland from the shore, the soil was covered with sand and stones left there by the subsiding sea." * December 1733: "severely damaged all trees and food crops. In Agaña it destroyed all buildings that had remained standing after the town fire of March of the same year." * April 7, 1807: "All the houses destroyed by the strong typhoon." * September 9, 1822: "damaged the Palacio and other Spanish administration buildings, among them the government store" * May 23, 1847: "A typhoon of horrible wind destroyed a greater part of the houses. No one killed." * August 10, 1848: "described as a devastating typhoon that caused extensive damage" * September 23, 1853: "causing widespread devastation" * April 17, 1859: "Strong typhoon - a ship, although having two anchors, was thrown against the reef." * February 14, 1864: "Damage to roads and houses, crop lost due to salt spray." * June 21–23, 1868: "Roofs of houses went off, but no casualties. One ship was thrown onto another in harbor." * September 19, 1872: "caused damage to buildings and agricultural production, and also wrecked a Spanish mail ship. ..Damage to Spanish buildings includes roof damage to the Palacio in Agaña, as well as the Casa Reál (former palace) in Umatac."


1900s

* May 26, 1900: "severely affecting the southern part of the island by demolishing structures in Sumay, Agat, Merizo and Inarajan. Damage to vegetation was substantial, with all crops destroyed. The vessel was torn off her moorings in Apra Harbor and blown onto a reef" * November 13, 1900: "A typhoon devastates Guam Island, destroying towns and 100 lives; the cruiser founders." * October 19, 1901: The center of a tropical cyclone passed between Guam and Rota, unroofing several native houses along the Agana Beach. Wharfs were destroyed or badly damaged.


1910s

* October 31, 1911: A storm passed south of Guam, taking down telephone poles in the south side of the island. Many houses in Merizo had their roofs torn. * August 26–30, 1912: Crops in Guam were damaged by a typhoon. * December 15–17, 1912: Crops in Guam were damaged by a typhoon. * September 17–19, 1913: The center of a tropical cyclone passed north of Guam, damaging copra crops with winds. * November 10, 1913: This typhoon took down many trees and telephone poles and unroofed houses across Guam. Storm surge washed away a wharf in Agana, and sank many
sampan A sampan is a relatively flat-bottomed Chinese and Malay wooden boat. Some sampans include a small shelter on board and may be used as a permanent habitation on inland waters. The design closely resembles Western hard chine boats like th ...
s. It flooded all low-lying areas of the town. * July 7, 1914: Passing north of Guam, typhoon-force winds swept in
Apra Harbor Apra Harbor, also called Port Apra, is a deep-water port on the western side of the United States territory of Guam. It is considered one of the best natural ports in the Pacific Ocean. The harbor is bounded by Cabras Island and the Glass Breakwa ...
, which were the heaviest in years. The storm damaged crops, buoyage, and boat channels. * September 2–3, 1915: Gusty winds and heavy rain damaged crops on the northern side of the island. * July 6, 1918: The eye of this storm passed over Agana, which the atmospheric pressure was measured at . The typhoon killed six, left thousands homeless, and caused over thousands of dollars in property damage. Natives had their homes overturned while substantial structures had their roofs torn or become demolished. Many telephone and power poles as well as coconut trees were downed. It is thought to have caused enormous damage to crops. A palm tree at the mouth of the Agana River survived the typhoon, which later inspired the design of the Seal of Guam. * September 17, 1918: A typhoon passed northeast of the island, causing minor damage to crops. * August 20–21, 1919: The center of this storm passed south of Guam and only caused minor damage to crops.


1920s

* March 26, 1923: A slow-moving typhoon passed south of the island, with its atmospheric pressure measured at . Its winds damaged the southern portion of the island. Bridges and roads were washed out. * October 1, 1924: A typhoon passed south of Guam with atmospheric pressure of , which was measured at
Sumay Sumay, also Sumai, was a village on the United States territory of Guam. It was located on the north coast of the Orote Peninsula along Apra Harbor. It was inhabited by Chamorro people before contact with Europeans. Sumay became a prosperous port ...
. The storm produced rainfall of in 15 hours before going further to within 30 hours. The total of rainfall was measured in 48 hours. The flood caused a death and destroyed 50 buildings, causing $100,000 in losses. Overflowed rivers swept away houses of natives and sections of roads and bridges. * October 25, 1925: The center of this storm passed south of Guam with a pressure of , producing heavy waves along the southern shore between Inarajan and Merizo. Roads and bridges were damaged, and strong winds downed hundreds of trees and unroofed many houses.


1930s

* December 3, 1935: A typhoon passed southwest with a pressure of and gusts of , damaging trees and crops, though structures were slightly damaged.


1940s

* November 3, 1940: A storm destroyed a majority of the island's crops, caused extensive damage to many military structures, and destroyed thousands of residential homes. Governor
George McMillin George Johnson McMillin (November 25, 1889 – August 29, 1983) was a United States Navy rear admiral who served as the 38th and final naval governor of Guam. He served as an officer during four separate conflicts: World War I, the occupation of ...
requested $50,000 (1940 USD, $  USD) in aid from the
American Red Cross The American Red Cross (ARC), also known as the American National Red Cross, is a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. It is the desi ...
. * August 3, 1941: The eye of this typhoon passed the northern point of the island. A pressure of and wind gusts of were estimated at Agana. The storm also produced rainfall of . Damage was done towards roofs and telephone, electrical lines and trees were also downed. Rivers that overflowed flooded houses nearby and washed out roads. * September 21, 1946: Typhoon Querida's eye was between Rota and Guam, producing gusts of . The storm damaged temporary buildings and Quonset huts. Seventy percent of Orote Point Naval Air Station suffered damage, and many large hangars at Harmon Field sustained damage. The village of Agat had 30 of its houses destroyed, with another 30 being very damaged, although only 1 injury was reported. * November 7, 1949: Typhoon Allyn brought wind gusts of over to the island. 2,500 houses were damaged across Guam, and 60% of Inarajan was destroyed by flooding. The storm completely flooded Cocos Island. Four major bridges collapsed. The damage totaled $91.1 million and there were many injuries, although no deaths occurred.


1950s

* May 9, 1950: Typhoon Doris produced of standing water in Inarajan, which washed out parts of the road between Inarajan and Merizo. * December 31, 1951: Typhoon Hester passed south of Guam by , and no damage to military facilities were reported. Storm surge reached inland, to about above sea level. The only damage reported were crops being lashed by the waves on the south side of the island, and a new section of highway near
Ylig River The Ylig River is one of the longest rivers in the United States territory of Guam. Rising close to the west coast some three kilometres north of Apra Heights, it traverses the island, flowing into the sea in the central east coast, south of th ...
was washed away. Two shore wave recorders installed by the University of California, Berkeley, located in Tarague Beach and Ylig River, were destroyed. There were no casualties on the island. * February 22, 1953:
Typhoon Irma The name Irma has been used for two tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean, one in the Australian region, one in the South-West Indian Ocean, and fifteen in the Western Pacific Ocean. In the Atlantic Ocean: * Tropical Storm Irma (1978), formed n ...
produced gusts of while south of Agana, and also produced of rain in 15 hours, damaging trees and crops. * August 10, 1953: Typhoon Nina flooded the Inarajan road and Talofofo bridge and also uprooted trees. * October 14–16, 1953: Typhoon Alice's 24-hour rainfall total at Andersen Air Base, , was the record high in Guam until Typhoon Pamela of 1976 struck the island. The resulting floods washed away four bridges across the island, cutting off access to the villages of Talofofo, Inarajan, Merizo, and Umatac. Floodwaters at Tamuning reached high. Electricity was shut off in areas with flooding issues, and a boil-water advisory was in effect. Multiple roads, including Highways 4 and 8, were rendered impassable, and Marine Drive had debris floating and stalled cars alongside it. * November 16, 1957:
Typhoon Lola The name Lola has been used for eighteen tropical cyclones worldwide, fifteen in the Western Pacific Ocean, two in the South Pacific Ocean, and one in the South-West Indian Ocean. In the Western Pacific. * Typhoon Lola (1953) (T5305) * Typhoon Lola ...
's eye passed south of Agana with gusts of over , stripping roofs from structures and breaking windows. Quonset huts were also blown down. Many houses were flooded by overflowing rivers. Lola caused $5 million in damage, and no casualties were reported.


1960s

* September 10, 1961: Typhoon Nancy destroyed over half of all crops with heavy winds and rain. A total of $40,000 worth of damage was done to roads on the island. Most of the damage was on the southern end of the island. No deaths were reported on Guam.JTWC Nancy Report
accessed March 7, 2006
* November 11, 1962: Typhoon Karen was regarded as the worst typhoon to ever impact Guam. 95 percent of homes were destroyed, and those left standing were damaged. Approximately 45,000 people, mostly Guamanians, were left homeless. 11 people lost their lives and about 100 others were injured. Losses across the island amounted to $250 million (1962 USD, $  USD). The damage across Guam was described as "'much more serious" than it had been during the second Battle of Guam, when American troops retook the island from the Japanese. The U.S. Navy described the damage as equal to that of an indirect hit from a
nuclear bomb A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission (fission bomb) or a combination of fission and fusion reactions (thermonuclear bomb), producing a nuclear explosion. Both bomb ...
. Acting governor Manuel Guerrero said that the recovery effort of the previous 17 years had been "completely wiped out". * April 29, 1963: Typhoon Olive destroyed 120 houses and severely damaged 1,140 homes, leaving at least 1,000 homeless. The effects of the typhoon set back Guam's recovery from Typhoon Karen the previous year, damaging homes partially repaired via recovery loans for Karen. Olive caused $5 million in damages, with damage towards crops accounting 20% of it. * July 11, 1963: Typhoon Wendy spared the island from the brunt of its winds due to its small size, although damage was reported towards crops. * September 5, 1964:
Typhoon Sally The name Sally has been used for thirteen tropical cyclones worldwide: one in the Atlantic Ocean, nine in the Western Pacific Ocean, and three in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Atlantic Ocean: * Hurricane Sally (2020) – made landfall in Alabama ...
was ultimately stronger and closer to Guam than forecasted, crossing over southern Guam as a developing typhoon and producing damaging winds. The island's southern districts sustained the heaviest impacts from Sally; 18 structures in those areas were damaged, with the impacts most evident to their roofs.
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The majority of the monetary losses caused by Sally on the island was sustained by crops: agricultural damage was estimated at $105,440, with $92,398 sustained by the banana crop. Damage to residential and commercial buildings was estimated at $9,680, resulting in a total damage toll of about $115,000, mostly were to farm crops. Sally's impacts in Guam were negligible outside of the southern regions of the island, and in total there were no casualties. * November 13, 1967: Typhoon Gilda produced winds strong enough to cause extensive damage to crops, although no structure was heavily damaged. * November 23, 1968: Typhoon Ora caused a power outage, broken windows and downed trees. A school in Dededo had their roof collapsed. Ora flooded rivers, which inundated bridges.


1970s

* May 3, 1971: Typhoon Amy flooded areas in the south side of the island. Inarajan was inundated, and the total of $902,000 in damages was estimated, with damaged crops accounting for 80% of it. * August 11–13, 1974: Typhoon Mary caused a tug pulling to Taiwan to become overcome by the weather as it sought shelter at Guam, and cut loose ''Caronia'', which was driven against the breakwater at the entrance to
Apra Harbor Apra Harbor, also called Port Apra, is a deep-water port on the western side of the United States territory of Guam. It is considered one of the best natural ports in the Pacific Ocean. The harbor is bounded by Cabras Island and the Glass Breakwa ...
on August 12, blocking all ship traffic. It resulted in the loss of $3.3 million. A $250,000 yacht was also lost. 2 people drowned, and property damages totaled over $542,000. * November 19, 1975: Typhoon June flooded sections of the seacoast highway between Merizo and Umatec and also blocked the road between the Ylig Bridge and Talofofo. Its winds contributed to most of the damage around the center of the island. Tornadoes were reported in the mentioned area. Power poles were downed towards Tamuning. Several houses in Mangilao were destroyed, accounting towards $1.3 million in damage alongside crop loss, and rendering 29 people homeless. * May 21, 1976: Typhoon Pamela produced typhoon-force winds – greater than – for 18 hours. An estimated 80% of the buildings on the island were damaged, including 3,300 houses that were destroyed. Pamela's slow motion produced 856 mm (33.7 in) of rainfall, making May 1976 the wettest on record in Guam. * September 5, 1976: Typhoon Fran brushed the
Mariana Islands The Mariana Islands (; also the Marianas; in Chamorro: ''Manislan Mariånas'') are a crescent-shaped archipelago comprising the summits of fifteen longitudinally oriented, mostly dormant volcanic mountains in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, betw ...
, passing to the west of Guam. Damage, if any, is unknown, though sustained winds of and gusts of were observed on Guam. * November 8, 1977: Typhoon Kim damaged 22 houses in the southern portion of Guam when its eye passed offshore, totaling $600,000 in losses. * October 23, 1978: Typhoon Rita caused no major damage even though there was crop damage that was not immediately determined. 2 U.S. Navy personnel were killed and a third was injured while taking an antenna from a building during preparations from Rita. The antenna came in contact with a high-voltage wire. 7 people were injured, 4 seriously injured in a head-on auto collision. Investigators reported that the road was wet and that there were wind gusts at the time of the collision. A civilian suffered multiple injuries when he fell from the sixth floor of an apartment building where he was boarding up windows. His condition is not immediately known. The total damage was estimated at less than $700,000. * January 10, 1979: Typhoon Alice moved within south of Guam, causing minor damage as strong winds and large waves affected the island. * August 17, 1979: Typhoon Judy was then a tropical depression that rapidly developed near Guam, although the storm only caused minor damage. * October 9, 1979: Typhoon Tip produced heavy rainfall early in its lifetime while passing near Guam, including a total of at
Andersen Air Force Base Andersen Air Force Base (Andersen AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located primarily within the village of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam. The host unit at Andersen AFB is the 36th Wing (36 WG), assigned to the Pacific ...
. Gusts of were measured during October 9 at the Naval Base Guam, as the center of the storm was positioned south of Agana. Tip caused a total loss of nearly US$1.6 million across Guam.


1980s

* October 31, 1980: Typhoon Betty passed near Guam, where strong winds caused major crop damage and downed power lines. On October 30, the
Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport , also known as Guam International Airport, is an airport located in Tamuning and Barrigada, east of the capital city of Hagåtña (formerly Agana) in the United States territory of Guam. The airport is ...
was closed. Betty flooded the southeast quadrant of the island, causing moderate damage. * November 12, 1984: Typhoon Bill produced minor flooding, disrupting electrical power and totaling crop damage at $7.7 million, as it accelerated . * October 19, 1987: Typhoon Lynn's eye passed just offshore Guam, bringing violent conditions to the island. Power was briefly knocked out for the entire island, though by October 20, electricity had been restored to most of the island. Several homes sustained serious damages while many others suffered roof damage. The banana and papaya crops were largely destroyed by the typhoon, but damage to other crops was minimal. No one in Guam was injured by Lynn. * January 12, 1988:
Typhoon Roy Typhoon Roy, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Asiang, was the second-most intense January tropical cyclone on record in the Western Pacific basin. Forming out of an area of disturbed weather on January 7, 1988, Roy quickly intensified as it ...
passed through the Mariana Islands and Guam, causing moderate structural damage and extensive crop losses. On Guam alone, agricultural losses reached $23.5 million (1988 USD; $ USD). Most structural damage was limited to broken windows on the island. About 300 families were left homeless. In the wake of the storm, the Federal Emergency Management Agency declared a
state of emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...
for Guam. * April 29, 1989: Typhoon Andy's close passage brought sustained winds of and gusts up to to Guam. The storm's high winds downed many power lines, leaving about 15 percent of Guam without power for several hours. Overall damage from the storm was minimal despite the strong winds and no reports of major structural damage or injuries were received. $1 million in damages to crops was done by heavy rains from Andy.


1990s

* December 20, 1990: Typhoon Russ was the most severe typhoon to impact Guam in 14 years. In the southern portion, 341 homes were destroyed, 460 houses suffered major damage, and 1,120 houses sustained minor damage. Guam was left without power and water for several days, and prompted U.S. president
George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...
to declare Guam a disaster area. Two ships in Apra Harbor broke their mooring, resulting in the loss of 11 fishermen. In total, Russ caused $120 million in damages. * October 17, 1991: Typhoon Orchid, in conjunction of Typhoon Pat, killed two people by producing high surfs. * November 27–29, 1991:
Typhoon Yuri Super Typhoon Yuri was the most intense tropical cyclone in 1991 in terms of minimum central pressure. The nineteenth typhoon and final super typhoon of the 1991 Pacific typhoon season, Yuri was a tropical disturbance that strengthened into a tro ...
caused nearly all of Guam (ninety percent of the 133,000 residents at the time) to remain without water and electricity on November 29, nearly two days after the powerful tropical cyclone passed Guam. 2,500 of the residents that took shelters were crammed into 12 school shelters on November 28. * August 1992: Typhoon Omar caused one death and $457 million (1992 USD, $  USD) in damage. Strong gusts up to 248 km/h (154 mph) left nearly the entire island without power for several days. Omar damaged or destroyed 2,158 houses, leaving 3,000 people homeless. In response, the island's building codes were updated to withstand winds of 250 km/h (155 mph), and insurance companies discontinued new policies for structures not made of concrete. * November 1992: Typhoon Gay struck Guam with sustained winds of , with gusts to on
Nimitz Hill Nimitz Hill may refer to: * Nimitz Hill (geographic feature), a hill in Asan, Guam surrounded by the Nimitz Hill Annex census-designated place * Nimitz Hill (CDP) Nimitz Hill is a community and census-designated place (CDP) in Piti, Guam. is loc ...
. The winds were strong enough to disrupt power and water utilities, as well as destroy a few houses. Despite the extreme winds, little wind-thrown trees or snapped branches were observed. The combination of the winds and light rainfall, however, sprayed saltwater over the island's vegetation, leading to near island-wide loss of leaves. Along the east coast of Guam, Gay produced a
storm surge A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the n ...
of . The surge reached on
Cabras Island Cabras Island was historically a low-lying finger of land off the coast of Piti, Guam that formed part of the northern protective arm of Apra Harbor. Shortly after the 1944 Battle of Guam it was connected by a causeway to the mainland and exte ...
in northern Guam, washing sand and water onto coastal roads and breaking a boat from its moorings. Little additional damage occurred to the island's capital of Hagåtña. * November 1996: Typhoon Dale passed south of Guam, bringing winds as high as 74 knots (137 km/h) and high seas which overtopped cliffs 30 metres (98 ft) high. Damage on the island totaled US$3.5 million * April 1997: Typhoon Isa passed well to the south of Guam, though one of its outer rainbands stalled across the island, which dropped heavy rainfall of across the island. The rainfall was welcome as it occurred during the dry season. The rainband also produced wind gusts that reached at the island's Naval Air Station; the winds resulted in sporadic power outages across the island. The typhoon caused some light damage to buildings, particularly on the south side of the island. The combination of winds and sea salt caused damage to the island's tomato, okra, cucumber, and soy bean crops. * December 17, 1997: Typhoon Paka destroyed around 1,500 buildings on the island, of which 1,160 were single-family homes. A further 10,000 buildings sustained damage to some degree. In all, about 5,000 people were left homeless due to the typhoon. An estimated 30–40% of the public buildings received major damage.


2000s

* December 22, 2001: Typhoon Faxai drowned a 69-year-old man in Gun Beach by strong rip currents across the shoreline. The man was given CPR by rescuers and was transported to Guam Memorial Hospital before being pronounced dead. The legislation of Guam authorized the use of $250,000 for mitigation or safety of the citizens and was needed for preparation. * July 4–5, 2002:
Typhoon Chataan Typhoon Chataan, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Gloria, was the deadliest natural disaster in the history of Chuuk, a state in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). The typhoon formed on June 28, 2002, near the FSM, and for several ...
's high winds caused damage across Guam, mostly to roofs and to poorly built or wooden structures.Alt URL
A total of 1,996 houses were severely damaged or destroyed. The winds also downed power lines, leaving an island-wide power outage. The most significant effects were from the heavy rainfall, resulting in landslides in some areas and causing rivers to flow at above-normal rates. The storm flooding contaminated Fena Lake, which provides water to the military base, for a few days. In addition, 34 of the island's 110 water wells failed due to the storm. Flooding also destroyed a building and damaged the runway at
Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport , also known as Guam International Airport, is an airport located in Tamuning and Barrigada, east of the capital city of Hagåtña (formerly Agana) in the United States territory of Guam. The airport is ...
, and damaged a bridge near Inarajan. In
Apra Harbor Apra Harbor, also called Port Apra, is a deep-water port on the western side of the United States territory of Guam. It is considered one of the best natural ports in the Pacific Ocean. The harbor is bounded by Cabras Island and the Glass Breakwa ...
, high seas washed ashore or sank five boats, and a Navy barge spilled 397,000 litres (105,000 gallons) of oil. Overall, Chataan caused about $60 million in property damage on Guam, and there were 23 injuries, none of them serious. * July 10, 2002: Typhoon Halong, while passing to the south, produced waves as high as in Inarajan. The waves left
beach erosion Coastal erosion is the loss or displacement of land, or the long-term removal of sediment and rocks along the coastline due to the action of waves, currents, tides, wind-driven water, waterborne ice, or other impacts of storms. The landward ...
along Guam's southern coast, and were higher than during Chataan's passage. Damage on the island was estimated at $40,000. The storm disrupted work to repair damage from Chataan. Portions of the island, including Guam Memorial Hospital, had their power restored after Chataan, only to lose electricity during Halong. The additional damage caused by Halong contributed to Governor
Carl T.C. Gutierrez Carl Tommy Cruz Gutierrez (born October 15, 1941) is an American (U.S. citizen) politician who was the 6th Governor of Guam, serving two four-year terms with Lieutenant Governor Madeleine Z. Bordallo from January 2, 1995 to January 6, 2003. Gutier ...
declaring the island as a state of emergency on July 22, which activated the
Guam National Guard The Guam National Guard is the National Guard in the United States territory of Guam, made up of the Guam Army National Guard and the Guam Air National Guard. History The National Guard of the Island of Guam can be traced back to the first m ...
. * December 8, 2002: Typhoon Pongsona had the third lowest recorded atmospheric pressure over Guam, after the Typhoon of 1900 and Karen. Typhoon Pongsona also left 65% of the island's water wells inoperable, with most of Guam left without water service following the storm. Officials estimate the typhoon destroyed 1,300 homes, severely damaged 1,825, and lightly damaged 4,800. Damage totaled over $700 million (2002 USD, $  USD). * June 28, 2004:
Typhoon Tingting Typhoon Tingting was a destructive tropical cyclone that produced record-breaking rains in Guam. The eighth named storm of the 2004 Pacific typhoon season, Tingting originated from a tropical depression over the open waters of the western Pacific ...
's record-breaking rainfall in Guam produced severe flooding and numerous landslides throughout the island. A total of 57 homes were destroyed and another 624 were damaged. Crop damage on the island amounted to $500,000 with most of the farmers reporting total crop losses. One person died after being swept away along a flooded road. Total property damage totaled $6 million. * August 22–25, 2004:
Typhoon Chaba The name Chaba ( th, ชบา, ) has been used to name four tropical cyclones in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The name was contributed by Thailand and refers to the Chinese hibiscus (''Hibiscus rosa-sinensis''). * Typhoon Chaba (2004) (T0416, 1 ...
's effects were mostly of minor extent in Guam. Despite moderate coastal inundation, beach erosion was minimal, and the heavy rainfall did not cause significant flooding. The cost of damage in Guam reached US$25,000. Four minor injuries occurred, and no deaths took place as the storm passed near the island. However, on August 25, after Chaba had begun moving away from Guam, four people were swept to sea by strong rip currents caused by the departing typhoon. Though three of the four were later recovered and treated for injuries, the other person was never found. * August 31 – September 1, 2005: Typhoon Nabi dropped of rainfall in 24 hours on the island. Flooding covered roads for several hours and entered classrooms at Untalan Middle School, forcing hundreds of students to evacuate. Damage in the region was estimated US$2.5 million. * December 10, 2008: Typhoon Dolphin produced 2.05 inches of rainfall in 48 hours starting on December 10 at 0100 UTC. Guam government officials reported that there was not much significant damage, with power outages around the island being sporadic which were primarily caused by falling trees and debris. There was also some minor flooding and
beach erosion Coastal erosion is the loss or displacement of land, or the long-term removal of sediment and rocks along the coastline due to the action of waves, currents, tides, wind-driven water, waterborne ice, or other impacts of storms. The landward ...
caused by storm tides.


2010s

* May 22–23, 2012: Tropical Storm Sanvu brought tropical storm force wind gusts and rainfall between to parts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. However the only damage reported was on Guam where falling tree limbs caused an estimated $20,000 of damage to power lines. * October 16–19, 2013: Typhoon Francisco passed south of Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands. Gusts on Guam reached at
Andersen Air Force Base Andersen Air Force Base (Andersen AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located primarily within the village of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam. The host unit at Andersen AFB is the 36th Wing (36 WG), assigned to the Pacific ...
. Wind gusts were not as strong when the typhoon approached the Mariana Islands for a second time. The typhoon also dropped heavy rainfall on Guam, peaking at at Inarajan. Damage in the region totaled $150,000 (2013  USD), and was largely limited to fallen trees. There was a power outage on Guam during the storm, but the
Guam Power Authority The Guam Power Authority (GPA, ch, Aturidat Ilektresedat Guahan) is an agency of the Government of Guam The Government of Guam (GovGuam) is a presidential representative democratic system, whereby the President is the head of state and the Go ...
was able to quickly restore service; this was due to the first usage of newly installed meters that showed exactly where the cuts had occurred. * March 4, 2014: Typhoon Faxai's wind and an enhanced wind flow to the north of the typhoon generated large swells, which claimed the life of a woman. * July 11, 2014: Typhoon Rammasun only made landfall on Guam as a tropical depression, with winds much weaker than earlier anticipated. However, under the system, the island received a substantial amount of rainfall, making that day the wettest in around 3 months. The United States territory received of rain. * March 15, 2015: Tropical Storm Bavi's circulation subsequently passed over Guam during March 15, with winds on the island barely reaching gale force on the island. Within Guam, sporadic power outages and minor tree damage were reported, while waves on the uninhabited northeastern coast of Guam reached and were the highest waves recorded on the island in a decade. * May 14–16, 2015: Typhoon Dolphin produced the first typhoon-force winds on the island since 2002 during Typhoon Pongsona. It passed between Guam and Rota, producing gusts of at
Andersen Air Force Base Andersen Air Force Base (Andersen AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located primarily within the village of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam. The host unit at Andersen AFB is the 36th Wing (36 WG), assigned to the Pacific ...
on northern Guam. The winds left 40% of the island without power and left at least 3,300 people without water. The storm also dropped heavy rainfall, flooding Guam Memorial Hospital. Dolphin damaged 390 houses, including nine that were destroyed, leaving 1,055 people homeless. With damage estimated at $10 million, the island was declared a disaster area. * July 5, 2015:
Typhoon Chan-hom The name Chan-hom has been used to name four tropical cyclones in the Western North Pacific Ocean. The name refers to a type of tree and was submitted by Laos. * Typhoon Chan-hom (2003) (T0303, 04W), strong storm that stayed away from land * Typhoo ...
's wind gusts were recorded at . Rainfall on the island totaled over , based on radar estimates from the University of Guam, and possibly as high as . On Guam, the storm caused minor power outages and flooding. * August 8–9, 2015: Typhoon Soudelor drowned two people in separate incidents by rip currents produced by the storm. * August 15–17, 2015: Typhoon Goni impacted the territory with recorded sustained winds of and gusts up to . The storm's slow movement enabled heavy rain to fall over Guam, totaling at the NWS office near the center of the island; this was enough rainfall to cause flooding, particularly on the western side of Guam. The concurrence of heavy rainfall and gusty winds caused isolated power outages on the island, with floods temporarily shutting down the Tumon power sub-station. Increased water flow along the
Ugum River The Ugum River is a river in the United States territory of Guam. See also *List of rivers of Guam This is a list of rivers in Guam, a ( U.S. territory) in the western Pacific Ocean. The list is arranged alphabetically by the name of the river. ...
shut down the Ugum Water Treatment Plant, leaving some residents without water access. * April 3, 2018: Typhoon Jelawat's remnants produced rip currents and strong surfs that drowned a woman, before she was rescued along with two other swimmers. * July 5, 2018: Typhoon Maria damaged a number of KC-135 aircraft in
Andersen Air Force Base Andersen Air Force Base (Andersen AFB, AAFB) is a United States Air Force base located primarily within the village of Yigo in the United States territory of Guam. The host unit at Andersen AFB is the 36th Wing (36 WG), assigned to the Pacific ...
when passing near Guam as a tropical storm on July 5. The air base recorded an unusually high wind gust of associated with the passage of a mesoscale convective vortex and an embedded hot tower—features that often support rapid intensification of tropical cyclones. An islandwide power outage occurred on July 5 after gusty winds downed power lines, and the local weather radar was knocked out. Damage on the island was estimated at US$150,000. * September 11, 2018: Typhoon Mangkhut passed near Guam, causing about 80% of the island to lose electricity. The typhoon caused $4.3 million in infrastructural damage in Guam. * February 23–25, 2019: Typhoon Wutip caused isolated power outages. Wutip's closest point of approach was on the 24th, when it was about south of the island. Wutip had dumped of rain in Inarajan, in
Dandan A dandan or dendan is a mythical sea creature that appears in volume 9 of ''The Book of One Thousand and One Nights'' (or ''Arabian Nights''). It appears in the tale "Abdullah the Fisherman and Abdullah the Merman", where the merman tells the fis ...
, and elsewhere in the island. Inarajan experienced more significant damage, with obstructed roads and many downed trees and power lines along with major flooding. No injury or serious damage were reported. Preliminary damage in infrastructure for Wutip totaled $1.3 million.


2020s

* June 22, 2021: Typhoon Champi prompted the issuance of tropical storm warning for the entirety of Guam. Electrical disruptions occurred in Chalan Pago, Toto/Canada, and
Santa Rita Santa Rita may refer to: * Rita of Cascia (1381–1457), Catholic saint *Associação Atlética Santa Rita, a Brazilian football (soccer) club *Santa Rita de Cássia FC, an Angolan football (soccer) club Places Belize * Santa Rita, Corozal, a Ma ...
due to the system's near approach. As it moved away from the island and the Marianas, the watch and warning in those areas were lifted at 01:00 UTC on June 22. * May 22–25, 2023:
Typhoon Mawar Typhoon Mawar, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Betty, was one of the strongest Northern Hemisphere tropical cyclones on record in the month of May, and the strongest tropical cyclone worldwide in 2023. The name "Mawar" means '' Rose ...
impacted the island with winds of and a pressure of . A United States Geological Survey rain gauge in Dededo, Guam measured the most rainfall at . Overall structural damage was relatively limited. Two men were swept out to sea off Guam in separate incidents on May 25. U.S. President Joe Biden declared Guam a major disaster area on May 27, enabling the distribution of federal funds. *October 10, 2023: Typhoon Bolaven's wind gusts of were recorded at
Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport , also known as Guam International Airport, is an airport located in Tamuning and Barrigada, east of the capital city of Hagåtña (formerly Agana) in the United States territory of Guam. The airport is ...
. Businesses in Guam were closed in preparations of the storm. The
Guam Power Authority The Guam Power Authority (GPA, ch, Aturidat Ilektresedat Guahan) is an agency of the Government of Guam The Government of Guam (GovGuam) is a presidential representative democratic system, whereby the President is the head of state and the Go ...
reported power outages, though they were able to repair and restore power within 30 minutes. Minor flooding and damage was reported in Inalåhan. Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero issued a state of emergency which was later approved by Joe Biden, but it was limited, and no federal aid was provided to the island.


Climatology


References

{{Guam