Special Weather Statement - Moderate | Effective 05/26/2026 08:33

A TROPICAL DISTURBANCE, KNOWN AS JTWC'S INVEST 99W, IS CURRENTLY CENTERED NEAR 7N139E, EAST OF SOROL. INVEST 99W CONTINUES TO SLOWLY IMPROVE IN ORGANIZATION AS THE EASTERN HALF OF THE BROADER CIRCULATION BEGINS TO PIVOT TO A MORE NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST ORIENTATION INSTEAD OF AN EAST TO WEST ORIENTATION. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR 99W TO BEGIN CONSOLIDATING OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THE JTWC HAS INCREASED 99W TO HIGH, WHICH MEANS DEVELOPMENT INTO A TROPICAL CYCLONE IS LIKELY WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. NUMEROUS TO WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE SEEN ALONG THE SOUTHERN, EASTERN, AND NORTHERN PERIPHERIES OF 99W. HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH OF PALAU AND WESTERN YAP STATE, INCLUDING YAP PROPER THIS WEEK. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON INVEST 99W, PLEASE REFER TO THE TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION ALERT ISSUED BY THE JOINT TYPHOON WARNING CENTER UNDER WMO HEADER WTPN21 PGTW. AS INVEST 99W LIFTS NORTHWARD THIS WEEK, THE DEVELOPING MONSOON TAIL WILL CONTINUE TO INTENSIFY ON THE SOUTH SIDE. WESTERLY TO SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 35 KTS WITH GUSTS PEAKING NEAR 55 KT ARE EXPECTED ALONG WITH SEAS HAZARDOUS TO SMALL CRAFT AND HAZARDOUS SURF. GUIDANCE STILL SHOWS THIS REGION AS A NARROW BAND MOVING THROUGH PALAU'S EASTERN COASTAL WATERS AND INTO YAP'S COASTAL WATERS TO THE SOUTH AND EAST, WITH SEAS EXPECTED TO BUILD TO OVER 10 FEET THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. AS THE SYSTEM SHIFTS FURTHER NORTHWEST, THE MONSOON TAIL MAY TRANSITION INTO AN INFLOW TAIL WITH SOUTHERLY FLOW. THIS WILL BRING HAZARDOUS SEA AND SURF CONDITIONS TO YAP AND PALAU'S COASTAL WATERS THROUGH LATE THIS WEEK.