Tropical Storm in Guam, September 5 to 6, 2004

TROPICAL STORM SARIKATropical Depression 23W developed east of the Mariana Islands in the early morning hours of September 5th, and was situated about 330 miles east-northeast of Saipan and 330 miles east-southeast of Pagan Island at 0400 SST with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. Racing west-northwest at 25 mph, Tropical Storm Sarika passed between Pagan and Agrihan that evening between 2100 and 2300 SST with maximum winds of 70 mph, only 5 days after Typhoon Songda dealt a severe blow to those same islands. But by 1000 SST the morning of the 6th, Sarika was already over 200 miles west-northwest of Agrihan and moving quickly away. Pagan Island: Tropical Storm Sarika passed 25 miles north-northeast of Pagan at around 2100 SST on September 5th. The automated station on Pagan recorded a maximum sustained wind of 35 mph from the west at 2100 SST, and a peak gust of 58 mph from the west-southwest an hour later at 2200 SST. The lowest sea-level pressure of 1000.4 mb occurred at 2100 SST. In the 12 hours ending at 0300 SST on the 6th, Pagan recorded 3.92 inches of rain. Agrihan: Sarika passed just 15 miles south-southwest of Agrihan at 2230 SST on September 5th. No wind measurements are available, but island residents estimated winds at 60 to 80 mph. Alamagan: Sarika passed about 60 miles north-northeast of Alamagan around 2030 SST on the 5th. No wind estimates are available, but it is unlikely that sustained winds reached tropical storm force. STORM EFFECTS AND DAMAGEAlamagan/Pagan/Agrihan: No deaths or injuries were reported on any of the islands. Housing and crops on the islands had already been severely damaged or destroyed less than a week earlier by Typhoon Songda. As a result, little additional damage was left to be done during Sarika's quick passage.