


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Tiyan, Guam
Issued by NWS Tiyan, Guam
038 FXPQ50 PGUM 061832 AFDGUM Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tiyan GU 432 AM ChST Mon Jul 7 2025 .Marianas Update... A lull in surface winds, speed divergence aloft, and ample atmospheric moisture, is allowing continuously training showers and thunderstorms to sit just off the coast of the Mariana Islands into early this morning. As such, this localized instability is expected to produce sporadic heavy showers and thunderstorms primarily over Guam and potentially Saipan the rest of today. If showers and associated clouds clear out later in the morning, island convection under extensive island heating may develop in the late afternoon hours. In the long-term, shower potentials continue to remain elevated throughout the week, as moist, convergent southerlies develop. The marine and surf forecasts remain unchanged. && .Eastern Micronesia Update... A broad trough at the leading edge of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is generating a large area of unsettled weather across the Marshalls and parts of Kosrae State this morning. Satellite and scatterometry data also indicate another area of convergence across Pohnpei, although the bulk of convection is to the northwest. Saw support to slightly increase PoPs to 50 percent for Majuro and 40 percent for Pohnpei today based on latest satellite and model trends. Otherwise, the rest of the forecast remains unchanged. Latest observations show gentle to moderate winds and seas 3 to 5 feet across the region. && .Western Micronesia Update... Overall, no major changes were made to the forecast. A disturbance over eastern Yap State remains poorly organized, resulting in showers and cloud cover decreasing over Chuuk Lagoon overnight. Meanwhile, convergent west-southwesterlies focus convection northwest of Yap, with only spotty showers over the main islands of Yap and Palau this morning. Model guidance is picking up on a brief increase in showers near Palau. Seeing some support on satellite where an area of scattered showers is seen west of Palau waters. Reflected this trend in the forecast, with morning scattered showers decreasing back to isolated by the afternoon. Scatterometry shows light west-southwesterlies across the main islands of Yap and Palau, with light and variable winds over Chuuk. However, this is expected to become more of a light to gentle southeasterly flow today. Buoy and altimetry show 1 to 3 foot seas over Palau and Yap, and 3 to 4 feet near Chuuk. && .Prev discussion... /issued 458 PM ChST Sun Jul 6 2025/ Marianas Synopsis... Satellite and radar imagery are showing mostly cloudy skies with isolated to low-end scattered showers, mainly over the coastal waters. Locally buoys are indicating seas around 3 feet. Discussion... A 500mb level vorticity maximum sliding down along the eastern edge of an upper-level high is centered to the west of the islands. This disturbance, in and of itself enough to bring showers, also prevented sufficient daytime heating and destabilization for heavy island- effect showers and thunderstorms to fire off, due to the abundant mid to high level cloudiness. Any breaks in the clouds have resulted in some heavier showers developing, with one currently west of Apra Harbor. Keep scattered showers (Probability of Precipitation (PoPs) 40 percent) through tomorrow as the upper-level disturbance slowly dives south and a surface trough slides through late tonight into tomorrow. If enough clearing tomorrow, could see island-effect showers and thunderstorms firing off as well as winds will be light to gentle from the southwest. Shower potential will remain elevated throughout the week (30-40 percent PoPs) as moist, convergent southerly flow develops. Marine/Surf... Light and variable winds this evening will become light to gentle from the southwest after midnight. Winds will slowly pick up early next week as the high pressure ridge shifts east and the southerly flow increases, with winds becoming gentle to moderate on Tuesday, then decreasing slightly beginning Wednesday. Combined seas of around 3 feet are expected for most of the week, possibly increasing late week or the weekend as a west-northwest swell emanating from a distant tropical disturbance to our northwest arrives. A low risk of rip currents is expected along all reefs for most of the week. Surf and rip risk could rise late week or next weekend along north and especially west facing reefs as aforementioned west- northwest swell arrives Eastern Micronesia... Not much has changed from yesterday in the model forecasts or forecaster thinking. An unsettled pattern continues this afternoon with a weak circulation south of Chuuk, and an attendant surface trough stretching northeast through Pohnpei from it. Then we have a col centered over the western coastal waters of Kosrae, with one trough departing majuro to the west and another trough located southeast of Majuro. These features will help to focus convection over the next several days, as additional disturbances in the trades are seen approaching from east of the Date Line. MIMIC water vapor imagery also shows PWATs (Precipitable Water Values) generally in the 2.4 to 2.9 inch range, providing ample moisture for convective development, with the troughs (disturbances) helping to focus any shower and thunderstorm coverage and intensity. As such, scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms will be common most of the week. East to occasionally southeast winds, albeit light, will allow seas to build slightly due to better fetch length/direction. Western Micronesia... Western Micronesia has a complicated wind flow pattern as the monsoon westerlies interact with the northeast trades. As easterlies have nosed in near and east of the Philippines now, it may no longer be proper to call these monsoon westerlies, as their connection to the Indian subcontinent has been severed. Although most of the winds are light to gentle, there is still a fair amount of convergence, especially where easterlies and westerlies directly run into each other. This is mainly north of Yap though, so the forecast for the islands themselves is fairly laid back, consisting mainly of scattered showers, starting Tuesday night at Chuuk, and on Tuesday at Yap and Koror, Palau. There will be periods of thunderstorms mixed in though as pockets of convergence flare up. For the marine forecasts, winds will be light to gentle, except possibly for gusts near showers and/or thunderstorms. Seas will be 3 to 4 feet at Chuuk and 2 to 3 feet at Yap through Wednesday, then 3 to 4 feet, and 2 to 3 feet at Palau through Tuesday night, then 3 to 4 feet. The only real weather related threat to mariners this week is lightning, so be ready to head below deck if any starts to occur in your area. && .GUM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GU...None. MP...None. Marianas Waters...None. && $$ Marianas Update: Montvila East/West Micronesia Update: Cruz Marianas: Slagle East Micronesia: Doll West Micronesia: Stanko