The latest storm news on the morning of July 4th from the US Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) said that Ba Vi (Bavi) has become a Category 5 super typhoon.
Accordingly, the rapid intensification process of Super Typhoon Ba Vi took place continuously throughout the night, becoming a level 4 super typhoon in the early morning and then quickly becoming a level 5 super typhoon at 7 am local time.
Super typhoon Ba Vi is continuing to strengthen as it maintains its direction towards the Mariana Islands. Currently, with maximum sustained winds of 257 km/h, super typhoon Ba Vi is forecast to reach a maximum intensity of 280 km/h and then begin to gradually weaken before entering and passing through the Mariana Islands.
Similar to JTWC, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also assessed Ba Vi as a super typhoon.
Meanwhile, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) still assesses Super Typhoon Ba Vi at a level equivalent to a very strong typhoon on the intensity scale of Japan.
Super typhoon Ba Vi is the 2nd Category 5 storm in the Western Pacific (WPAC) this year and the first storm to reach Category 5 in July since Hurricane Maria in 2018. To date, this region has recorded the highest number of Category 5 storms since 2015.
There is no significant change in the trajectory forecast of Ba Vi. The system is still expected to move west in the next 36 hours before turning northwest towards the Mariana Islands.
A clear eye of the storm is now visible on both optical and infrared satellite images.
The US National Weather Service in Guam has issued Typhoon Warnings for Guam, Rota, Tinian and Saipan, as strong typhoon-level winds may occur within the next 48 hours. Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect for Agrihan, Pagan and Alamagan. This means that storm conditions may occur within 48 hours. Islands near the path of the storm, or islands likely to be directly affected, will experience stronger conditions.
US storm forecasters note that the current forecast path of Super Typhoon Ba Vi may still move north, closer to Saipan, or south, closer to Guam. These changes are still likely to occur in the coming days when Typhoon Ba Vi approaches.
