The National Weather Service Guam is tracking Typhoon In-fa, which is forecast to pass near or over Pagan Island in the Northern Mariana Islands late this week.
As of Monday, In-fa was about 1,270 miles east of Guam and 180 miles northeast of Enewetak.
After remaining nearly stationary in the Marshall Islands for several days, the typhoon was moving northwest at 9 mph, according to the National Weather Service. Typhoon-force winds extended up to 15 miles from its center, while tropical storm-force winds extended up to 80 miles.
In-fa was expected to strengthen to a Category 2 typhoon later Monday and potentially reach Category 3 intensity by early Tuesday, the weather service said.
Forecasters anticipated the storm would slow overnight Monday before turning west-northwest or west.
No tropical storm or typhoon watches or warnings were in effect for the region as of the latest advisory cited by the weather service.
The forecast track remained uncertain, with the potential for changes in both the storm’s path and timing.
“At 4.5 days from its eventual passage, additional shifts in the forecast track, to the north or the south, and forecast timing, whether sooner or later, should be anticipated. As of the 7:00 am Public Advisory No. 10, Saipan still sits within the southern edge of the cone of uncertainty,” the National Weather Service said.
Forecasters said a shift far enough south could bring In-fa very close to Saipan, while a northward shift would take the storm farther from Pagan and Saipan.
“Residents across all islands of the CNMI should watch the progress of In-fa closely in the coming days and be ready to take action if that becomes necessary,” the National Weather Service said.