


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Tiyan, Guam
Issued by NWS Tiyan, Guam
218 FXPQ50 PGUM 040759 AAC AFDGUM Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Tiyan GU 559 PM ChST Wed Jun 4 2025 .Marianas Synopsis... Satellite and radar observations show scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms across Guam and Rota, and isolated showers across Saipan and Tinian. Buoys indicate seas are 4 to 5 feet. && .Discussion... A taste of wet season has settled in across the Marianas and looks to continue through the rest of the week. A slight lull is expected tonight, with isolated showers and thunderstorms forecasted after midnight. Shower activity looks to gradually increase starting Thursday with numerous showers possible across Guam and Rota by Friday night. There is some uncertainty into the weekend as the better support for showers and thunderstorms looks to shift westward. Overall, models are in general agreement with the increase in shower activity across the Marianas towards the end of this week. However, the GFS and ECMWF begin to diverge this weekend, with the GFS developing an organized circulation in the Philippine Sea while the ECMWF keeps broader activity. This would favor drier conditions with the GFS scenario as the focus of convection shifts west, while the ECMWF hangs onto some shower activity through the weekend due to a more disorganized and broader circulation. With the MJO forecasted to amplify into phase 6 and 7, this would lead some credence towards the GFS solution. That said, those two phases also favor increased precipitation across the Marianas. For now, will use a blend of the GFS/GEFS and the ECMWF, which downtrends showers to scattered and then isolated this weekend. Due to the influence of the MJO and a TUTT forecasted to remain north of the Marianas through Saturday night, PoPs may need to be increased over the next few days. && .Marine... Overall, little change was made to the marine forecast. Combined seas of 3 to 5 feet will persist through the week before dropping a foot this weekend. Sometime next week, a westerly swell could develop for the western half of the coastal zones of the Marianas. This hinges on the development of a monsoon trough across western Micronesia later this week. && .Eastern Micronesia... The Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) begins east of the Date Line and extends west-southwest, passing south of Majuro and ending south of Kosrae. Only isolated trade showers today from Pohnpei, Kosrae and Majuro. An area of trade convergence to the north will dip south and west and bring scattered showers into Pohnpei this evening and Kosrae late tonight, while Majuro should stay isolated. In addition, the ITCZ will drift north and west and further increase shower coverage and bring isolated thunderstorms into Majuro and Kosrae tomorrow and into Pohnpei by Friday. Showers look to become isolated again for Majuro by the weekend as the ITCZ dissipates. However, a weak circulation could develop southwest of Pohnpei and Kosrae by the weekend, further enhancing the convergence and shower potential. Both Pohnpei and Kosrae will see scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms through the weekend, with PoPs bouncing mostly between 30 and 50 percent. Early next week, all three forecast points could see a chance of showers (probability of precipitation 30 percent) and a slight chance of thunderstorms as the ITCZ or trade convergent zone builds into eastern Micronesia. Gentle to moderate winds will prevail through Thursday. Winds look to become light to gentle for Pohnpei and Kosrae and generally gentle for Majuro by Friday, to continue into the weekend. Combined seas of 4 to 6 feet are expected through Thursday, becoming 2 to 4 feet by Friday, as wind waves and trade swell subside. Winds and seas look to rise early next week as the trade flow strengthens and a background southerly swell increases. && .Western Micronesia... An unsettled weather pattern remains in store for Palau and Yap for the rest of the week, as a tropical disturbance attempts to form and consolidate well northwest of Yap and Palau, and a southwesterly monsoon surge settles over the area. Ensemble model guidance has been indicating a formation of a tropical disturbance in western Micronesia, that would then trek northwest and produce a monsoon surge along its southeastern peripheries as it exits the region. Satellite imagery shows a general zone of instability across Palau and Yap State, with a few minor westerly surges in the monsoon observed just southwest of Palau. Additionally, a tropical disturbance could form in western Yap State, that the deterministic GFS and ensemble GEFS latch onto for further development in the next 36 to 48 hours. While the feature remains largely disorganized and its formation continues to look delayed on satellite, the general trend in decreasing wind shear and buildup of localized moisture will allow the development of significant showers across Palau and Yap for much of the rest of the week once the feature moves into a more convectively favorable area. Due to the lackluster nature of the current stage of the monsoon and the aforementioned potential disturbance, variability in areas of convective development may produce periods of little to no weather followed by sporadic heavy showers and thunderstorms. In addition, high uncertainty remains regarding rainfall amounts, but the trend continues to indicate around 5 inches at Palau, and around 6 to 8 inches at Yap over the next 72 hours. At this time, landslides continue to be unlikely; however, if soils become saturated, any additional rainfall may quickly become runoff and increase mudslide risks, especially at Palau. Conditions are expected to improve beginning early next week. At Chuuk, patchy showers and some thunderstorms brought by gentle to moderate trades are expected for the rest of the week, as a broad tropical wave/disturbance moves in from the east. A short period of drier weather may arrive by early next week. While trade swells have weakened, localized wind waves and a developing southwest swell will produce choppy seas in Palau and Yap coastal waters over much of the week. Surf will continue to increase along south and west facing reefs of Palau and Yap, but are not likely to become hazardous at this time. For now, expect 3 to 5 foot seas for the next few days, occasionally being a foot or two higher throughout the week. Meanwhile at Chuuk, 4 to 5 foot seas may drop a foot by the weekend. && .GUM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GU...None. MP...None. Marianas Waters...None. && $$ Marianas: Williams East Micronesia: Slagle West Micronesia: Montvila