Hurricane in Guam, December 12 to 20, 2001

A trough of low pressure had been noted for days in synoptic and Quick Scat data betweenthe equator and 10N and from 150E to 160E. By the evening of the 10th a circulation was observed in Quick Scat data near 5N156E. Between 16Z and 21Z on the morning of the 11th an automated weather observing station on Nukuror(3.85N 155.01E) observed wind westerlywinds were consistently gusting near 40 kt with a peak gust of 42 kt at 1707Z. Thisindicated that the system was possibly strengthening and by the morning of the 12th it became Tropical Depression 31W 250 miles southeast of Chuuk. By the morning of the13th the depression became Tropical Storm Faxai when it was located 115 miles southeastof Pohnpei. A westerly wind burst along the equator pushed the tropical storm furthereastward and by the evening of the 13th Faxai was located near Kosrae(5.6N 163.0E). On the morning of the 16th the storm was about 30 miles west-southwest of Kosrae. With weak steering currents Faxai was nearly stationary for a few days in the vicinityof Kosrae. This resulted in heavy rainfall over the island. The 24 hour rainfall totalending at 0757Z on the 15th was 10.74 inches with 24.76 inches falling from 13/1957Z to18/2257Z. An automated wind sensor on Kosrae reported sustained winds of 36 mph twice onthe 19th. The 1st at 1257 and the second at 2257. Both winds were from the southwest. A peak wind of 64 mph was recorded on the 15th at 1857. Only one indirect death occurred onKosrae. Electrical power was knocked out on the island and because of the heavy rainfalla lot of flooding was reported. Because of the persistent southwest fetch caused by the storm the southern clockwise through western shore of Kosrae experienced some coastal inundation. Many rocks were thrown up on the road on that portion of the island. Damage was reported to the banana crops. By the 18th the storm had drifted west and was near Pingelap(6.2N 160.7E). An automatedanemometer recorded a maximum sustained wind of 29 mph of 0758 and 1158 on the 18th. A peakgust of 48 mph was recorded early on the morning of the 18th at 0058. The center of the tropicalstorm passed very close to Pingelap on the afternoon of the 18th. Strong winds on Pingelap downed many banana trees. Runup of sea water caused by the tropical storm caused damage tosome Taro patches. The tropical storm continued on its slow northwest movement with the center passing 135 miles to thenorth of the island on morning of the 21st. Rainbands and a southwesterly monsoon flow createdlower pressure and stronger winds along the right periphery of the tropical storm. As a resultPohnpei received strong winds on the 20th with a peak wind of 34 mph at 1352. On the 20 the 24 hourrainfall total at the Pohnpei WSO was 3.13 inches. The heavy rain caused flooding and two landslidesin the Nett Municipality of Pohnpei. Shortly after making its closest approach to Pohnpei the tropical storm became Typhoon Faxai at 1000 on the 20th.