Update From North Carolina Native in Guam After Typhoon Mawar

Acting Meteorologist in Charge and Warning Coordinator for the National Weather Service Office in Guam, Landon Aydlett joined Rising Thursday morning to give an update on the impacts in Guam after the strongest typhoon hit the U.S. territory in decades.

Aydlett is a North Carolina native from Elizabeth City and a North Carolina State Grad. He has been with the National Weather Service Office in Guam for the last 13 years, along with his twin brother, Brandon who is the Science and Outreach Coordinator with the office. Aydlett shared that this was the worst Typhoon he has experienced since moving to Guam. The category 4 Typhoon had sustained winds of 140 mph as the eyewall moved over the northern edge of the island Wednesday night. But, he said the impacts could have been much worse.

The storm was going through eyewall replacement as it moved over the island, this spread out the wind field — ultimately weakening the storm as it made landfall. Still, the impacts are devastating. More than 51,000 of the 52,000 customers are without power with widespread damage and flooding across the 30-mile-long island. Aydlett fears it could take a few weeks for power to be restored.

Unlike the Carolina Coast, it is very difficult to evacuate the island during typhoons, and residents are told to take shelter and hunker down until the storm has passed. Thankfully, Aydlett shared there were no casualties reported as of Thursday.

Clean-up will take months, and President Biden has approved an Emergency Declaration for Guam. FEMA and the Coast Guard have deployed to bring supplies and aid in the recovery efforts. If you would like to help those impacted by Typhoon Mawar in Guam, the American Red Cross has information on ways you can help here.