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Typhoon Wutip, known in the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
as Tropical Depression Betty, was the most powerful February typhoon on record, surpassing Typhoon Higos of 2015. The third tropical cyclone, second tropical storm, and the first typhoon of the
2019 Pacific typhoon season The 2019 Pacific typhoon season was a devastating season that became the costliest on record, just ahead of the previous year and 2023, mainly due to the catastrophic damage wrought by typhoons Lekima, Faxai, and Hagibis. The season was the ...
, Wutip originated from a
low-pressure area In meteorology, a low-pressure area (LPA), low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. It is the opposite of a high-pressure area. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with incle ...
on February 16, 2019, that generally tracked westward, passing just south of the
Federated States of Micronesia The Federated States of Micronesia (, abbreviated FSM), or simply Micronesia, is an island country in Micronesia, a region of Oceania. The federation encompasses the majority of the Caroline Islands (excluding Palau) and consists of four Admin ...
(FSM), before organizing into a tropical depression on February 18. The depression was later classified a tropical storm a day later, attaining the name ''Wutip'' from the
Japan Meteorological Agency The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA; ''気象庁, Kishō-chō'') is a division of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism dedicated to the Scientific, scientific observation and research of natural phenomena. Headquartered ...
. The storm gradually intensified as it turned northwest, before it underwent
rapid intensification Rapid intensification (RI) is any process wherein a tropical cyclone strengthens very dramatically in a short period of time. Tropical cyclone forecasting agencies utilize differing thresholds for designating rapid intensification events, th ...
on February 23, while passing to the southwest of
Guam Guam ( ; ) is an island that is an Territories of the United States, organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. Guam's capital is Hagåtña, Guam, Hagåtña, and the most ...
, and reached its first peak intensity. With winds of 270 km/h (165 mph) estimated by the
Joint Typhoon Warning Center The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force command in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The JTWC is responsible for the issuing of tropical cyclone warnings in the North-West Pacific Ocean, South P ...
, Wutip became the first Category 5-equivalent super typhoon on record in the month of February. Wutip underwent an
eyewall replacement cycle In meteorology, eyewall replacement cycles, also called concentric eyewall cycles, naturally occur in intense tropical cyclones with maximum sustained winds greater than , or hurricane-force, and particularly in major hurricanes of Saffir–Simps ...
shortly afterward and weakened. The storm finished its cycle on February 24, rapidly intensifying once again. Wutip reached a secondary peak intensity the following day, again attaining Category 5-equivalent winds. Thereafter, Wutip rapidly weakened for the rest of its lifespan from strong vertical
wind shear Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
, before dissipating over the
Philippine Sea The Philippine Sea is a List of seas#Marginal seas by ocean, marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean, Western Pacific Ocean east of the list of islands of the Philippines, Philippine Archipelago (hence the name) and the List of seas#Largest seas ...
on March 2. As
tropical cyclone watches and warnings Tropical cyclone warnings and watches are alerts issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local pop ...
were issued and citizens sought shelter, Typhoon Wutip crossed the FSM and inflicted significant damage towards its agriculture and infrastructure, contaminating water sources across the affected islands with its floods and leaving 11,575 people in need of food. Later on, Wutip induced power outages in Guam and caused damage that added to the total of over $3.3 million (2019 USD). The
Northern Mariana Islands The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territory and Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States consistin ...
received minor impact, and there were no casualties reported in any of the affected areas nonetheless. In response to the effects, both the FSM and Guam received aid from international governments and organizations. The name "Wutip" (蝴蝶) proposed by Macau, meaning "butterfly" in Cantonese.


Meteorological history

Around mid-February 2019, a large mass of
cumulonimbus cloud Cumulonimbus () is a dense, towering, vertical cloud, typically forming from water vapor condensing in the lower troposphere that builds upward carried by powerful buoyant air currents. Above the lower portions of the cumulonimbus the water ...
s accumulated near the
Marshall Islands The Marshall Islands, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands, is an island country west of the International Date Line and north of the equator in the Micronesia region of the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. The territory consists of 29 c ...
. Initially disorganized, the slow-moving cluster consolidated into a more cohesive system. On February 16, the
Japan Meteorological Agency The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA; ''気象庁, Kishō-chō'') is a division of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism dedicated to the Scientific, scientific observation and research of natural phenomena. Headquartered ...
(JMA) detected the system as a
low-pressure area In meteorology, a low-pressure area (LPA), low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. It is the opposite of a high-pressure area. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with incle ...
shifting westward. While southeast of
Kosrae Kosrae ( ), formerly known as Kusaie or Strong's Island, is an island in the Caroline Islands archipelago, and States of Micronesia, state within the Federated States of Micronesia. It includes the main island of Kosrae, traditionally known as Ual ...
, vigorous
convergence Convergence may refer to: Arts and media Literature *''Convergence'' (book series), edited by Ruth Nanda Anshen *Convergence (comics), "Convergence" (comics), two separate story lines published by DC Comics: **A four-part crossover storyline that ...
of
trade winds The trade winds or easterlies are permanent east-to-west prevailing winds that flow in the Earth's equatorial region. The trade winds blow mainly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisphere ...
north of the
tropical disturbance Tropical cyclones are ranked on one of five tropical cyclone intensity scales, according to their maximum sustained winds and which tropical cyclone basins they are located in. Only a few classifications are used officially by the meteorologica ...
spawned sporadic
convection Convection is single or Multiphase flow, multiphase fluid flow that occurs Spontaneous process, spontaneously through the combined effects of material property heterogeneity and body forces on a fluid, most commonly density and gravity (see buoy ...
, or thunderstorms. The convection broadened over the system's large but weak circulation, as the disturbance situated over an area of low vertical
wind shear Wind shear (; also written windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical ...
and warm
sea surface temperature Sea surface temperature (or ocean surface temperature) is the ocean temperature, temperature of ocean water close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies in the literature and in practice. It is usually between and below the sea ...
s of , conditions which are conducive for
tropical cyclogenesis Tropical cyclogenesis is the development and strengthening of a tropical cyclone in the atmosphere. The mechanisms through which tropics, tropical cyclogenesis occur are distinctly different from those through which temperate cyclogenesis occu ...
. After more organizing, the JMA identified the system as a tropical depression on February 18, shortly before the
Joint Typhoon Warning Center The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) is a joint United States Navy – United States Air Force command in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The JTWC is responsible for the issuing of tropical cyclone warnings in the North-West Pacific Ocean, South P ...
(JTWC) assigned it the numeral identifier ''02W'' the next day, when the storm had improved its convective banding around the defined circulation. As the storm developed from high
ocean heat content Ocean heat content (OHC) or ocean heat uptake (OHU) is the energy absorbed and stored by oceans, and is thus an important indicator of global warming. Ocean heat content is calculated by measuring ocean temperature at many different locations and ...
(OHC) and
outflow Outflow may refer to: *Capital outflow, the capital leaving a particular economy *Bipolar outflow, in astronomy, two continuous flows of gas from the poles of a star * Outflow (hydrology), the discharge of a lake or other reservoir system *Outflow ...
, the JMA and JTWC simultaneously ranked the newborn cyclone a tropical storm at 18:00 UTC, with the former giving it the name ''Wutip''. On February 20, Wutip evolved into a severe tropical storm after attaining 10-minute sustained winds of , before strengthening into a typhoon by 18:00 UTC, according to the JMA, as a
central dense overcast The central dense overcast, or CDO, of a tropical cyclone or strong subtropical cyclone is the large central area of thunderstorms surrounding its circulation center, caused by the formation of its eyewall. It can be round, angular, oval, or ir ...
began to surface. With Wutip moving west-northwestward alongside a
subtropical ridge The horse latitudes are the latitudes about 30 degrees north and south of the Equator. They are characterized by sunny skies, calm winds, and very little precipitation. They are also known as subtropical ridges or highs. It is a high-pressur ...
to the north, improvement in organization became apparent with an
eye An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system. In higher organisms, the ey ...
formation detected on
microwave Microwave is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than other radio waves but longer than infrared waves. Its wavelength ranges from about one meter to one millimeter, corresponding to frequency, frequencies between 300&n ...
imagery; on this basis, the JTWC upgraded Wutip to a typhoon early on February 21. The storm continued to significantly intensify over warm waters as rainbands tightened towards the deepened core. Its motion also mitigated the effects of wind shear, and additionally, a ragged eye emerged on
satellite imagery Satellite images (also Earth observation imagery, spaceborne photography, or simply satellite photo) are images of Earth collected by imaging satellites operated by governments and businesses around the world. Satellite imaging companies sell im ...
. The very compact system then steered in a general northwestward direction, with the eye occasionally appearing throughout February 22. Despite a decrease in sea surface temperatures, low wind shear combined with an excellent poleward outflow channel commenced a period of
rapid intensification Rapid intensification (RI) is any process wherein a tropical cyclone strengthens very dramatically in a short period of time. Tropical cyclone forecasting agencies utilize differing thresholds for designating rapid intensification events, th ...
on February 23. While southwest of Guam, Wutip presented a compact eyewall, and achieved its initial peak intensity at 12:00 UTC; the JMA estimated 10-minute sustained winds of and the lowest
barometric pressure Atmospheric pressure, also known as air pressure or barometric pressure (after the barometer), is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. The standard atmosphere (symbol: atm) is a unit of pressure defined as , which is equivalent to 1,013.2 ...
of around that time. The JTWC operationally estimated 1-minute sustained winds of , re-classifying Wutip as a super typhoon; however, post-season analysis determined that it had attained winds of 270 km/h (165 mph) two hours prior—making Wutip equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. A
moat A moat is a deep, broad ditch dug around a castle, fortification, building, or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. Moats can be dry or filled with water. In some places, moats evolved into more extensive water d ...
—a clear ring outside the eyewall—separated the inner core from deep banding features, indicating the onset of an
eyewall replacement cycle In meteorology, eyewall replacement cycles, also called concentric eyewall cycles, naturally occur in intense tropical cyclones with maximum sustained winds greater than , or hurricane-force, and particularly in major hurricanes of Saffir–Simps ...
. During the process, the western portion eroded off the well-defined but warming eyewall as the eye cooled down, signaling a weakening trend. Development was further hampered by dry air
entrainment Entrainment may refer to: * Air entrainment, the intentional creation of tiny air bubbles in concrete * Brainwave entrainment, the practice of entraining one's brainwaves to a desired frequency * Entrainment (biomusicology), the synchronization o ...
and the storm's entrance to an environment of low OHC; conditions in the upper
troposphere The troposphere is the lowest layer of the atmosphere of Earth. It contains 80% of the total mass of the Atmosphere, planetary atmosphere and 99% of the total mass of water vapor and aerosols, and is where most weather phenomena occur. From the ...
however, remained favorable. The moat separating the primary and secondary eyewall then became ill-defined. Upon completion the next day, the eyewall thickened, and its associated convection was replenished and reorganized, becoming well-defined and
annular Annulus (or anulus) or annular indicates a ring- or donut-shaped area or structure. It may refer to: Human anatomy * ''Anulus fibrosus disci intervertebralis'', spinal structure * Annulus of Zinn, a.k.a. annular tendon or ''anulus tendineus com ...
, resuming a trend of rapid intensification. Wutip again became a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon in 06:00 UTC of February 25, reaching a secondary peak intensity with 10-minute winds of and atmospheric pressure of assessed by the JMA, and 1-minute winds of assessed by the JTWC. Although maintaining deep convective rings, Wutip did not hold this intensity for long, and by the following day, weakened to below super typhoon strength.
Cloud top The cloud top (or the top of the cloud) is the highest altitude of the visible portion of a cloud. It is traditionally expressed either in metres above the Earth (or planetary) surface, or as the corresponding pressure level in hectopascal (hPa, eq ...
s warmed up as the eye became cloud-filled. Following a significant increase in vertical wind shear, Wutip's structure began to rapidly deteriorate, no longer exhibiting an eye. The storm decelerated from a neutral point as it entered the southern edge of the
westerlies The westerlies, anti-trades, or prevailing westerlies, are prevailing winds from the west toward the east in the middle latitudes between 30 and 60 degrees latitude. They originate from the high-pressure areas in the horse latitudes (about ...
, meeting higher levels of unfavorable wind shear. An upper-level
trough Trough may refer to: In science * Trough (geology), a long depression less steep than a trench * Trough (meteorology), an elongated region of low atmospheric pressure * Trough (physics), the lowest point on a wave * Trough level (medicine), the l ...
situated to the west of the storm also reinforced wind shear, further disrupting convection, despite the robust outflow. By 12:00 UTC of February 27, Wutip had weakened back into a severe tropical storm. Convection later decreased significantly, prompting the JTWC to downgrade Wutip to tropical storm status. As Wutip turned west-northwestward, deep convection detached from the storm and dissipated, preventing additional development. By February 28, wind shear had completely exposed the well-organized circulation. The JMA downgraded Wutip to a tropical storm at 00:00 UTC, before downgrading it further to a tropical depression six hours later, though the JTWC had already assessed Wutip as a tropical depression beforehand. On the same day, Wutip crossed the 135° E boundary of the
Philippine Area of Responsibility The Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) is an area in the Northwestern Pacific where PAGASA, the Philippines' national meteorological agency, monitors weather occurrences. Significant weather disturbances, specifically typhoons that enter o ...
, receiving the local name ''Betty'' from the
PAGASA The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (, abbreviated as PAGASA , which means "hope" as in the Tagalog language, Tagalog word ''pag-asa'') is the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS ...
—the national weather agency for the Philippines. The JTWC discontinued advisories on Wutip, whereas the JMA continued monitoring the depression until it had dissipated near east of the Philippines on March 2.


Records

Wutip was the most powerful typhoon in the month of February on record, surpassing Typhoon Higos of 2015, while also being the longest-lasting typhoon of that month as well. In addition, Wutip is the first and only
tropical cyclone A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its locat ...
in the Northern Hemisphere with Category 5-equivalent winds during the month. Only seven Category 4- or Category 5-equivalent typhoons were recorded in the months of January and February since the late 1940s, including three other storms in February that attained Category 4 strength.


Preparations and impact


Federated States of Micronesia

Tropical storm watches and warnings were issued for the states of Chuuk,
Pohnpei Pohnpei (formerly known as Ponape or Ascension, from Pohnpeian: "upon (''pohn'') a stone altar (''pei'')") is an island of the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group. It belongs to Pohnpei State, one of the fou ...
, and
Yap Yap (, sometimes written as , or ) traditionally refers to an island group located in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, a part of Yap State. The name "Yap" in recent years has come to also refer to the state within the Federate ...
of the
Federated States of Micronesia The Federated States of Micronesia (, abbreviated FSM), or simply Micronesia, is an island country in Micronesia, a region of Oceania. The federation encompasses the majority of the Caroline Islands (excluding Palau) and consists of four Admin ...
by the
National Weather Service The National Weather Service (NWS) is an Government agency, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weathe ...
(NWS) office in
Tiyan, Guam Barrigada () is a village in the United States territory of Guam. A largely residential municipality, its main village is located south of the Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport near the intersections of Routes 8, 10, and 16. The communi ...
, as Tropical Depression 02W approached the island nation on February 19; the tropical storm warning for
Faraulep Faraulep Atoll () is a coral atoll of three islands in the central Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia. Its total land area is only , but it encloses a deep c ...
in Yap was later canceled. The advisories were upgraded to typhoon watches and warnings after the tropical depression had intensified into Tropical Storm Wutip on February 20, with forecasts stating that Wutip would soon strengthen into a typhoon. A Special Weather Statement was also released, advising residents to monitor the situation and take note of instructions. While schools, community halls, and gymnasiums were all used as shelter, some shelters did not provide food and water or proper restrooms. Wutip passed over Chuuk, Pohnpei and Yap States with winds of more than —equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane—from February 19 to 22, and damaged or destroyed approximately 160 houses and displaced 165 people in Chuuk and Yap. In Pohnpei State, primary and secondary power lines were damaged. Besides having fallen trees, the main island of
Pohnpei Pohnpei (formerly known as Ponape or Ascension, from Pohnpeian: "upon (''pohn'') a stone altar (''pei'')") is an island of the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group. It belongs to Pohnpei State, one of the fou ...
was entirely left without power before having it restored. The command post of Chuuk State was activated on February 20–21 under an issued
executive order In the United States, an executive order is a directive by the president of the United States that manages operations of the federal government. The legal or constitutional basis for executive orders has multiple sources. Article Two of the ...
, as falling trees, flooding, and damage towards homes were being reported on the 21st. Displaced people were moved to typhoon shelters and also to families residing more inland, away from the shorelines. In
Pattiw Pattiw or Western Islands is the name of the westernmost area of the State of Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia, consisting of the three islands or atolls of Houk, Poluwat and Pollap, with a total land area of and a population of 2, ...
, 54 homes were destroyed and at least 69 were damaged. Schools were closed down as an effect of major damage as displaced families sheltered in them. In some of the affected islands of Yap, schools also sustained damage. Satellite imagery analysis after the storm revealed extensive damage to vegetation and limited damage to structures of the Northwest Islands. The Northwest Islands and Mortlock Islands had over 90% of their crops damaged, likewise to
Nukuoro Nukuoro is an atoll in the Federated States of Micronesia. It is a municipality of the state of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. It is the secondmost southern atoll of the country, after Kapingamarangi. They both are Polynesian outli ...
of Pohnpei State; the main crop,
taro Taro (; ''Colocasia esculenta'') is a root vegetable. It is the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the family Araceae that are used as vegetables for their corms, leaves, stems and Petiole (botany), petioles. Taro corms are a ...
, rottened and became no longer edible, though some of it was salvaged. Water sources for the outer islands of
Houk Houk is a surname, and may refer to * George W. Houk (1825–1894), American lawyer and politician * John C. Houk (1860–1923), American politician * Keith Houk, American airline executive * Kendall Newcomb Houk (born 1943) American chemist * ...
,
Puluwat Poluwat, also Polowat, formerly Puluwat, is a coral atoll and a municipality of Chuuk state, Federated States of Micronesia. Name The name of the island goes back to Proto-Chuukic ''*pʷolowado''. Geography Polowat is located in the northwes ...
,
Tamatam Tamatam or Tamatan is an island, village and Administrative divisions of the Federated States of Micronesia#Municipalities, municipality in the state of Chuuk State, Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia. ReferencesStatoids.com
retrieved Dece ...
and
Pulap Pulap or Pollap is an atoll in Chuuk State, Federated States of Micronesia, with a total area (including the lagoon) of , of which is emergent land, consisting of three islands, Pollap in the north, Tamatam in the south, and Fanadik at the weste ...
, along with the Mortlock Islands, were rendered undrinkable, contaminated by saltwater from the flooding. In Houk, sea water flooding killed vegetation, including taro,
breadfruit Breadfruit (''Artocarpus altilis'') is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family ( Moraceae) believed to have been selectively bred in Polynesia from the breadnut ('' Artocarpus camansi''). Breadfruit was spread into ...
and coconut—the main diet for the inhabitants besides fish. Wutip flooded a taro plantation in
Oneop Oneop is an island in the Mortlock Islands, and municipality in the state of Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia.Statoids.com
ret ...
and downed breadfruit and
banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large treelike herbaceous flowering plants in the genus '' Musa''. In some countries, cooking bananas are called plantains, distinguishing the ...
trees with its winds. Structures there were unroofed and one structure had collapsed. Across the state of Yap, infrastructure, including
dispensaries A dispensary is an office in a school, hospital, industrial plant, or other organization that dispenses medications, medical supplies, and in some cases even medical and dental treatment. In a traditional dispensary set-up, a pharmacist dispense ...
, and crops were damaged. Residents of
Satawal Satawal is a solitary coral atoll of one island with about 500 people on just over 1 km2 located in the Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean. It forms a legislative district in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia. Satawal is the ...
,
Lamotrek Lamotrek () is a coral atoll of three islands in the central Caroline Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district in Yap State in the Federated States of Micronesia. The atoll is located approximately east of Elato. The p ...
, Elato, Faraulep, and Piig necessitated water assistance, as their drinking sources were soon to be exhausted. Despite no casualties, Wutip ruined many crops with the saltwater floods it produced and, with the water sources contaminated, induced a high possibility of disease outbreaks in the affected areas. Overall, Wutip caused heavy preliminary damage in infrastructure and agriculture that cost at least $2 million.


Guam

The NWS announced a tropical storm watch for
Guam Guam ( ; ) is an island that is an Territories of the United States, organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. Guam's capital is Hagåtña, Guam, Hagåtña, and the most ...
on February 21. Guam was still reeling from
Typhoon Mangkhut Typhoon Mangkhut, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Ompong, was a powerful and catastrophic tropical cyclone that caused extensive damage in Guam, the Philippines, and South China in mid-September 2018. It was the strongest typhoon to strike ...
in the previous year as hundreds fled to emergency shelters; over 430 children and adults sought refuge at five different emergency shelters. Public schools were closed in preparation of Wutip on February 22. The same day,
Cope North Cope North is an annual multinational military exercise taking place in and around Guam. The first exercise took place in 1978. In 2016 in addition to US, Japanese and Australian forces South Korea, the Philippines and New Zealand New Z ...
, an annual military exercise that takes place around Guam, was paused "as a precautionary measure due to hazardous and potentially damaging winds," according to the
Pacific Air Forces The Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PAC ...
. The NWS also upgraded the watch to a tropical storm warning on that day. A team of 18 from the
Federal Emergency Management Agency The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Exec ...
(FEMA) assisted Guam with emergencies. Civil defense officials warned Guam residents that winds between and rainfall up to were expected, and advised them to stay indoors until the storm had passed.
Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
Josh Tenorio Joshua Franquez Tenorio is a Guamanian politician and businessman currently serving as the tenth lieutenant governor of Guam since January 7, 2019. He is the first openly gay lieutenant governor elected in the United States and is a member of ...
put Guam and the military bases under Condition of Readiness (COR) 2, before upgrading it to COR 1. About 25 flights to and from Guam were canceled, leading to the loss of 4,993 seats. As Wutip's rainbands began affecting the island, a heavy outer rainband remained largely in place over the southern side for several hours, and exhibited the meteorology phenomena
training Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or fitness that relate to specific useful competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one's capability, capacity, productivity and performance. I ...
. Wutip was the first typhoon to affect Guam in the month of February since Typhoon Irma in 1953. On February 23, Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport recorded of rain from the storm, resulting in a flash flood warning being announced, while also setting a record for that date. The
Guam Power Authority The Guam Power Authority (GPA, ) is an agency of the Government of Guam and Guam's electricity provider. Its headquarters are in Fadian, Mangilao, Guam.Inarajan, in Dandan, and elsewhere on the island. Maximum sustained winds of and gusts of persisted throughout the night into early February 25, as seas remained hazardous. In Santa Rita,
manhole A manhole (utility hole, maintenance hole, or sewer hole) is an opening to a confined space such as a shaft (civil engineering), shaft, utility vault, or large container, vessel. Manholes, typically protected by a manhole cover, are often used ...
s were overflowed by flooding.
Merizo Malesso' (formerly Merizo) is the southernmost village in the United States territory of Guam. Cocos Island (Chamorro: Islan Dåno) is a part of the municipality. The village's population has decreased since the island's 2010 census. Malesso' is ...
also endured inundation, though it was noted as "nothing too bad" by its mayor's office. Inarajan experienced more significant damage, with obstructed roads and many downed trees and power lines along with major flooding. Preliminary damage in infrastructure for Wutip totaled over $1.3 million. No injuries or serious damages were reported, and the COR 1 was canceled by the lieutenant governor along with brigadier general
Gentry Boswell Gentry W. Boswell is a retired United States Air Force brigadier general who served as the director of manpower, organization, and resources of the United States Air Force. He was previously the commander of the 36th Wing and deputy commander o ...
, placing Guam under COR 4, the normal condition of readiness. The
Guam Department of Education The Guam Department of Education (GDOE), formerly the Guam Public School System, is a school district that serves the United States territory of Guam. The school district can be thought of as analogous to the school districts of other cities a ...
later reopened all of its 41 schools.


Northern Mariana Islands

Tropical storm watches were in effect across the islands of
Saipan Saipan () is the largest island and capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, an unincorporated Territories of the United States, territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. According to 2020 estimates by the United States Cens ...
,
Tinian Tinian () is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Together with uninhabited neighboring Aguiguan, it forms Tinian Municipality, one of the four constituent municipalities of the Northern ...
, and Rota. Families were still residing in tents due to the effects from
Typhoon Yutu Typhoon Yutu, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Rosita, was an extremely powerful tropical cyclone that caused catastrophic destruction on the islands of Tinian and Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, and later impacted the Philippines. ...
of last year, and were encouraged to seek emergency shelter; a total of 83 individuals took shelter during Wutip's passage. President of the
Asian Football Confederation The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is the governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal in most countries and territories in Asia. The AFC was formed in 1954. It has 47 members. The Asian Ladies Football Confederation ( ...
,
Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa (; born 2 November 1965) is a Bahraini football administrator. he is Senior Vice-president of the FIFA Council. He has been president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) since 2 May 2013. Before beco ...
, was set to visit Saipan on February 25, but postponed the visit in precaution of Wutip. The tropical storm watch in Rota was later upgraded to a typhoon warning but was canceled by
Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
Arnold Palacios Arnold Indalecio Palacios (born August 22, 1955) is a Northern Marianan politician currently serving as the tenth governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, since 2023. He previously served as the 12th lieutenant governor of the Northern Mariana Is ...
on February 24, when Wutip headed towards a different direction from the islands and no longer posed a threat. Winds of and gusts of swept across the village of Songsong and waves of to as high as surfed along the east- and south-facing reefs, leading to
coastal flooding Coastal flooding occurs when dry and low-lying land is submerged (flooded) by seawater. The range of a coastal Flood, flooding is a result of the elevation of floodwater that penetrates the inland which is controlled by the topography of the coas ...
. No injuries were reported, and public roadways across the islands remained clear of debris. As a result, schools were reopened across the
Mariana Islands The Mariana Islands ( ; ), also simply the Marianas, are a crescent-shaped archipelago comprising the summits of fifteen longitudinally oriented, mostly dormant volcanic mountains in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, between the 12th and 21st pa ...
on February 25. Palacios stated that
climate change Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...
is a reality as demonstrated by Wutip, for the typhoon season for the region was not until another month.


Aftermath

The
Governor of Chuuk The office of the Governor of Chuuk is the highest elected position in the state of Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia The Federated States of Micronesia (, abbreviated FSM), or simply Micronesia, is an island country in Micronesia, a re ...
Johnson Elimo and the
Governor of Yap A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...
Henry Falan both declared a
state of emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered 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 before, during, o ...
on February 22, in addition to a declaration from the
President of the Federated States of Micronesia The president of the Federated States of Micronesia is the head of state and government of the Federated States of Micronesia The Federated States of Micronesia (, abbreviated FSM), or simply Micronesia, is an island country in Micronesia ...
Peter M. Christian. On February 26, a team of 13 from the government of Chuuk was deployed at
Pattiw Pattiw or Western Islands is the name of the westernmost area of the State of Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia, consisting of the three islands or atolls of Houk, Poluwat and Pollap, with a total land area of and a population of 2, ...
to supply food and water, with the support of the
International Organization for Migration The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is a United Nations related organization working in the field of migration. The organization implements operational assistance programmes for Human migration, migrants, including internally displa ...
(IOM) and the
Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...
. Elimo later revised his declaration on March 2, emphasizing the extensive damages Wutip had caused to infrastructure, food crops, and water sources. Damage assessments were commenced throughout the affected areas. On March 11, FSM President Christian issued a disaster declaration and requested international assistance, releasing $100,000 from the country's emergency fund. U.S.
Chargé d'affaires A (), plural ''chargés d'affaires'', often shortened to ''chargé'' (French) and sometimes in colloquial English to ''charge-D'', is a diplomat who serves as an embassy's chief of mission in the absence of the ambassador. The term is Frenc ...
Heather Coble declared a disaster the following day, allowing the
United States Agency for International Development The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an agency of the United States government that has been responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. Established in 1961 and reorganized in 1998 ...
(USAID), FEMA, and the federal government of the FSM to initiate a damage assessment and relieve activities supporting agriculture and food security. The damage assessment took place from March 18 to April 4, with assistance from the IOM. It found along with infrastructure damage, that agriculture production was damaged across 30 islands, leaving 11,575 people food insecure. Shipments containing rice, vegetables, and cooking oil were sent to the Mortlock Islands of Chuuk State. Approximately $450,000 from USAID's
Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance The Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) was an organizational unit within the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) charged by the President of the United States with directing and coordinating international Unite ...
, New Zealand Embassy, and
Australian Aid Australian Aid is the brand name used to identify projects in developing countries supported by the Australian Government. As of 2014 the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has been responsible for Australia's official development ...
, was mobilized to contribute efforts and for purchasing food baskets, aiding 9,295 people and the other 2,280 who suffered moderate crop damage. On March 31, a multinational team aboard USNS ''Brunswick'' arrived at the Lower Mortlock Islands to support recovery efforts as part of
Pacific Partnership Pacific Partnership is an annual deployment of forces from the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy (USN), in cooperation with regional governments and military forces, along with humanitarian and non-government organizations. The deploymen ...
2019. Because of their
Compact of Free Association The Compacts of Free Association (COFA) are international agreements establishing and governing the relationships of free association between the United States and the three Pacific Island sovereign states of the Federated States of Micronesia ( ...
between the national governments, U.S. President
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
declared Wutip a disaster on May 7, making funding for emergency relief and reconstruction assistance available, after Christian had requested a disaster declaration on April 17. With this funding, the
Catholic Relief Services Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Founded in 1943 by the Bishops of the United States, the agency provides assistance to 130 million people in more than 110 ...
provided agricultural rehabilitation and the IOM gave food assistance to the areas affected by Wutip. The USAID division in the Philippines reconstructed 136 homes and 39 public structures. Relief and reconstruction funding from USAID totaled more than $22.3 million. Guam Governor
Lou Leon Guerrero Lourdes Aflague "Lou" Leon Guerrero (born November 8, 1950) is an American politician and former banking executive, lobbyist, and nurse who has served as the ninth governor of Guam since 2019.Haidee Eugenio Gilbert''Crowd: Governor's speech inspi ...
requested a major disaster declaration on March 25, due to the impact the Mariana Islands had from Wutip during February 23–25. Between April 2–5, damage assessments were conducted around areas of Guam, determining if the damage was severe enough for the necessity of federal assistance. On May 7, Donald Trump approved the disaster declaration, and made public assistance towards Guam available for eligible local governments and certain non-profit organizations to support the relief efforts. Tracy A. Haynes was appointed by Trump as the Federal Coordinating Officer for recovery operations across Guam. FEMA gave $722,298.51 in public assistance and $146,376.80 for hazard mitigation.


See also

*
Weather of 2019 The following is a list of weather events in 2019. Global conditions 2019 was Earth's second-warmest year on record, which goes back to 1880. It was the 43rd consecutive year of above-average temperatures. The year was 0.95 °C (1.71  ...
*
Tropical cyclones in 2019 During 2019, tropical cyclones formed within seven different tropical cyclone basins, located within various parts of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. During the year,a total of 142 systems formed, with 100 of these developing further ...
* Other systems named Wutip * Other systems named Betty * Typhoon Keith (1997) – A Category 5-equivalent super typhoon that affected some of the same areas in 1997 * Typhoon Maysak (2015) – The most powerful pre-April typhoon on record; struck
Micronesia Micronesia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, consisting of approximately 2,000 small islands in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. It has a close shared cultural history with three other island regions: Maritime Southeast Asia to the west, Poly ...
and the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
* Typhoon Jelawat (2018) – An early-season Category 4-equivalent super typhoon from 2018, which affected some of the same areas *
Typhoon Yutu Typhoon Yutu, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Rosita, was an extremely powerful tropical cyclone that caused catastrophic destruction on the islands of Tinian and Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, and later impacted the Philippines. ...
(2018) – A powerful Category 5-equivalent super typhoon that devastated
Saipan Saipan () is the largest island and capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, an unincorporated Territories of the United States, territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. According to 2020 estimates by the United States Cens ...
and
Tinian Tinian () is one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Together with uninhabited neighboring Aguiguan, it forms Tinian Municipality, one of the four constituent municipalities of the Northern ...
in the
Northern Mariana Islands The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territory and Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States consistin ...
during the previous year *
Typhoon Surigae Typhoon Surigae, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Bising, was the strongest tropical cyclone tropical cyclones in 2021, worldwide in 2021 and the most powerful cyclone to form before the month of May in the Northern Hemisphere in any c ...
(2021) – The most powerful April typhoon on record


Notes


References


External links


02W.WUTIP
from the
United States Naval Research Laboratory The United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is the corporate research laboratory for the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. Located in Washington, DC, it was founded in 1923 and conducts basic scientific research, appl ...

General Information
of Typhoon Wutip (1902) from Digital Typhoon
JMA Best Track Data
of Typhoon Wutip (1902) (in Japanese)
JMA Best Track (Graphics)
of Typhoon Wutip (1902) {{2019 Pacific typhoon season buttons W Wutip 2019 natural disasters Wutip 2019 in Guam 2019 in the Northern Mariana Islands February 2019 in Oceania February 2019 in Asia Wutip Wutip Wutip Wutip