Super Typhoon Bavi has rapidly intensified into a Category 5 storm in the western Pacific, becoming the third Category 5 system of 2026 and putting Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands on a direct collision course with one of the most powerful storms of the year.
A Fast-Strengthening Monster
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center clocked Bavi's sustained winds at 160-167 mph (260-269 km/h) with gusts to 201 mph as of July 4-5, 2026. The National Weather Service office in Guam has warned that sustained winds could reach 175 mph with gusts to 210 mph at landfall intensity. The latest forecast track has shifted the storm's eye toward a pass very close to Rota, between Guam and Saipan, with landfall-equivalent conditions expected early Monday, July 6.
Emergency Declarations and Shelters
Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero declared a state of emergency, and officials in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) issued a parallel declaration. Guam moved to Condition of Readiness 3 on the afternoon of July 3 and escalated to Condition of Readiness 2 at 10 p.m. ChST on July 4, signaling that typhoon-force winds were expected within 24 hours.
Emergency shelters opened across Guam beginning at 7 a.m. on July 5. Residents were told to bring enough food and water for seven days per family member, along with medicine, bedding, and hygiene supplies; pets are not permitted inside shelters. Forecasters are warning of catastrophic damage to poorly constructed homes, widespread power outages, flash flooding, and seas up to 45 feet offshore.
The Relief Effort
The American Red Cross has pre-positioned relief supplies and volunteers across Guam and the CNMI ahead of landfall. FEMA is coordinating with territorial governments on pre-staged federal resources, while the Salvation Army, Team Rubicon, and All Hands and Hearts are mobilizing response teams for the aftermath. The GlobalGiving Emergency Relief Fund is also accepting donations to support on-the-ground partners.
This storm follows closely on the heels of Typhoon Sinlaku and Typhoon Jangmi, which struck the same region earlier this year, compounding recovery challenges for communities across Guam and the Marianas.
You can support relief efforts for Super Typhoon Bavi by donating to verified organizations responding on the ground. Visit the disaster page for direct donation links, or explore the full Relief Directory for other ways to help.
