Tropical Storm in Guam, August 5 to 6, 2006

TROPICAL STORM SAOMAITropical Depression (TD) 08W developed early Saturday morning August 5th, about 450 miles southeast of Guam. As TD 08W moved steadily northwest at 15 to 20 mph, it became Tropical Storm Saomai at 2200 SST Saturday evening, about 250 miles southeast of Guam with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. Saomai continued moving northwest at 20 mph, passing between Guam and Rota around 0630 SST Sunday morning the 6th. Indeed, the center of Saomai passed exactly half way between the two islands, 20 miles northeast of Guam and 20 miles southwest of Rota, with maximum winds at 50 mph. Once past Guam and Rota, Tropical Storm Saomai moved quickly away to the northwest. By 2200 SST Sunday evening, Saomai was a typhoon, centered about 300 miles northwest of Guam, packing winds of 75 mph near the center. During its passage through the Marianas, Saomai brought a brief period of minimal tropical storm conditions to Rota, while winds at the other islands were somewhat lighter. Rainfall was heaviest south of the storm track over Guam, where monsoonal rain bands brought between 3 and 5 inches to the island. Because of Saomai's rapid motion, rainfall along and north of its track was substantially less. Guam: At Guam International Airport, the highest winds were recorded Sunday morning at 0449 SST, with sustained northwest winds at 28 mph gusting to 37 mph. The peak wind on Guam was northwest at 38 mph, recorded at Andersen AFB at 0512 SST. The lowest sea-level pressure at the airport was 998.6 mb at 0554 SST, while the lowest pressure on Guam was 995.9 mb at Andersen AFB at 0555 SST. In the 24 hours ending at 1600 SST on the 6th, the airport recorded 4.26 inches of rain, but the island's greatest total was 4.47 inches in the 24 hours ending at 1700 SST, 3 miles to the southwest in Toto. Rota: At the automated station at Rota International Airport, the highest sustained wind was from the east-southeast at 35 mph at 0651 SST Sunday morning, and the highest gust was from the southeast at 55 mph during the hour ending at 0751 SST. The lowest sea-level pressure was 999.9 mb at 0651 SST, and rainfall totaled 2.32 inches in the 24 hours ending at 2200 SST Sunday evening. Tinian: The highest sustained wind at Tinian Airport was east-southeast at 30 mph at 0558 SST, and the peak gust was from the southeast at 32 mph at 0858 SST. No other information is available from Tinian.Saipan: At Saipan International Airport, the highest sustained wind was southeast at 29 mph Sunday morning at 0852 SST. The highest gusts of 36 mph were also from the southeast, and occurred several times between 0849 SST and 1001 SST. The minimum sea-level pressure was 1002.0 mb at 0454 SST, and 1.77 inches of rain fell in the 24 hours ending at 1000 SST Sunday morning. The only damage from Saomai was some downed trees and power lines on Guam and Rota. The downed lines resulted in a brief power outage in Barrigada and Chalan Pago on Guam.