


Area Forecast Discussion
Issued by NWS Tiyan, Guam
Issued by NWS Tiyan, Guam
877 FXPQ50 PGUM 170802 AFDGUM Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Tiyan GU 602 PM ChST Fri Oct 17 2025 .Marianas Synopsis... Gentle to moderate easterlies prevail across the region. Satellite imagery and Doppler radar indicate mostly dry and clear conditions this afternoon. Buoys and altimetry show seas are 5 to 8 feet. && .Discussion... A moderate to fresh trade-wind regime is expected to ensue by Saturday, bringing breezy conditions through late Saturday afternoon, before tapering down slowly thereafter as the pressure gradient decreases between the tropics and the mid-latitudes. Showers are expected to remain minimal overnight, followed by periods of patchy showers and a thunderstorm or two developing during the afternoon hours, as winds pick up from the east. A few more minor troughs will make their way across the region for much of next week, bringing low-end scattered showers as winds continue to weaken. && .Marine... Combined seas of 6 to 8 feet will stay elevated and choppy through at least the weekend, as northerly swells and trade swell continue to mix in, before tapering down by the middle of next week as these swells weaken. A moderate risk of rip currents is expected along west, north, and east facing reefs of the Marianas through Saturday, before becoming low along west facing reefs thereafter. Surf is expected to remain elevated along north and east facing reefs until the middle of next week, as the aforementioned swells diminish. && .Eastern Micronesia... As one trough departs Pohnpei off to the west, attention turns to a new trough that has crossed the Date Line today. This feature will continue west the next several days, bringing a brief period of increased rainfall potential to areas from east to west. Otherwise, the lack of an ITCZ (Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone) will allow for just isolated shower coverage aside from when the trough approaches or passes overhead. As for winds, they`ll remain light to gentle through the weekend, increasing into the gentle to moderate range for the first half of next week. Seas mainly in the 5 to 6 foot range will persist through the forecast period. As for surf concerns, a northeasterly swell of 5 feet at 8 seconds will persist through Saturday for Pohnpei and Kosrae, combining with a long-period northerly swell of 3 feet at 12 seconds. This will keep surf elevated in the 7 to 8 foot range for the north facing reefs. The northeasterly swell will decrease on Sunday. Beyond that, there are some indications that the northeasterly swell may build again towards the middle of next week. This is something we`ll keep an eye on. && .Western Micronesia... Satellite this afternoon shows scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms across far western Micronesia, mainly over and northwest of Palau waters, and west of Yap waters. The area of convergent inflow into Invest 96W continues to shift westward as the disturbance itself transits the Philippine Sea, with the center having already exited just west of Guam`s Area of Responsibility (AOR). An upper-level trough centered just north-northwest of Palau and Yap has been providing support to thunderstorms along the tail end of inflow into 96W, continuing over western Palau waters this afternoon. Shower and thunderstorm chances diminish over Palau heading into the weekend as 96W and associated showers move further away from the area. Yap will continue to see periods of scattered showers through the weekend as a series of weak trade-wind troughs propagate west across the region. Early to mid next week, shower chances for Palau and Yap will increase once more as a weak monsoon- like pattern begins to set up across the region. To the east, the broad southwest-northeast oriented trough over Chuuk has begun to shift northwest of coastal waters. Swaths of mid to upper level clouds remain extensive across Chuuk State, but showers have diminished to isolated near Weno, with most of the convergence and showers focused further north. Quiet conditions will continue through Sunday, with showers beginning to increase Sunday night through early next as a broad trough moves into the area. Latest altimetry data indicates combined seas around 3 to 5 feet near Palau and Yap and around 4 to 6 feet near Chuuk, comprised of a primary northeast swell and light north swell. Similar sea conditions will prevail for much of the forecast period, with light to moderate trades expected through early next week. Trade winds will become mostly moderate for Chuuk by midweek. && .GUM WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... GU...None. MP...None. Marianas Waters...None. && $$ Marianas: Montvila East Micronesia: Doll West Micronesia: DeCou