PSS, NMC classes canceled

With Tropical Storm Man-yi (25W) advancing toward the Marianas, local officials are urging residents of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota to prepare for high winds and potential impacts early this morning.

Late afternoon yesterday, Gov. Arnold I Palacios declared Tropical Storm Condition II across the CNMI, immediately followed by the CNMI Public School System and Northern Marianas College announcing that classes are cancelled today.

As of 5pm yesterday the Commonwealth’s Emergency Operations Center issued a Tropical Storm Warning across the three islands, highlighting the increasing likelihood of conditions deteriorating over the next 24 hours.

As of the 5pm bulletin, Man-yi was about 145 miles east-southeast of both Saipan and Tinian, 160 miles east of Rota, and 195 miles east-northeast of Guam with sustained winds holding steady at 45 mph. Moving west at 18 mph, the storm’s center is expected to pass near Rota by Wednesday afternoon, potentially intensifying along the way.

Tropical storm force winds currently extend up to 70 miles from Man-yi’s center and forecasters warn of the possibility of further intensification as it approaches the islands.

“The continued movement of Tropical Storm Man-yi poses a significant threat to the CNMI, and we ask all residents to stay vigilant,” the EOC statement advised community members to stay informed. “Please monitor weather updates closely and ensure your preparations are complete.”

The CNMI Emergency Operations Center remains active, with warning officers monitoring Man-yi’s approach and standing ready to issue updates as needed. Residents were promised new updates late last night. Authorities are urging the community to stay updated through the local media sources, NOAA Weather Radio, and especially the National Weather Service Guam which will be updating all forecasts and advisories every six hours at weather.gov/gum, for the latest information.

For those seeking further assistance, the EOC State Warning Point is available 24/7 via phone at (670) 237-8000 or (670) 664-8000, and can be reached by high-frequency radio on frequency 5.205.0 for residents in the Northern Islands.

Ports on guard

As of early evening yesterday, the Saipan, Tinian, and Rota ports remain “open with restrictions,” according to U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam public affairs officer Sara Muir.

The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port set Port Heavy Weather Condition X-RAY for the commercial ports of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, in effect yesterday at 9am. Muir shared with the media “PHWC X-RAY remains active for Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, with the potential to upgrade to PHWC YANKEE as early as 3pm, Nov. 12, if conditions warrant. This change ensures responders take proactive steps to protect lives, vessels, and port facilities in the face of expected severe weather, with sustained winds projected above 45 knots. She said that anyone requiring more information, including current port status and PHWC parameters, should visit https://homeport.uscg.mil/port-directory/guam.

Cmdr. Ryan Crose, deputy commander U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam, shared, “We’ve set up our Incident Management Team to manage our operations. Preparing now helps us keep our communities and ports safe, ensuring we can quickly return to normal operations. Secure your home, gather supplies, and stay informed. As the storm hits and then passes, know that our ships may sortie for storm avoidance, and responders will shelter in place. They will resume assistance and conduct port assessments as soon as it’s safe to do so to protect lives and the flow of vital commerce.”

School closures

In light of the approaching storm, Education Commissioner Dr. Lawrence Camacho said all CNMI public schools will be closed today as well as programs, including the Head Start/Early Head Start and Early Intervention programs, and PSS Central and school offices.

“Rest assured, we are in close communication with the appropriate government agencies and we are on standby for any new information. We will provide more updates as soon as they become available,” he shared. “We encourage everyone to stay safe and protected during this time.”

NMC also notified the media and students that all classes today are canceled.

For private schools, parents and students are encouraged to contact their school representatives, as not all are closed. Saipan Community School issued their notice to parents and students that as of early evening yesterday, they intend to open.

“As of now (7pm, Nov. 12, 2024), Saipan Community School will remain open on Nov. 13. Currently, the weather forecast is predicting windy and wet conditions for Saipan. We will continue to monitor the situation through the night and reassess the conditions/forecasts in the early morning. Please check for a 6am update. Thank you for your understanding and please be safe.”

During a live stream storm update with the U.S. National Weather Service in Guam yesterday afternoon, meteorologists shared that they don’t predict the storm will be at the same velocity as Typhoon Mawar, but still encouraged the community to stay safe and remain informed, as updates on the storm develop.