Typhoon Bavi in the western Pacific Ocean raked across the island of Rota, about 60 miles northeast of Guam, at 9 a.m. local time Monday (7 p.m. EDT Sunday) at Category 5 intensity.

The storm struck with peak sustained estimated winds in the eyewall near 180 mph. Widespread damage is being reported on the islands, particularly Rota. Gusts of 106 mph were also clocked at Saipan International Airport and 100 mph at Guam International Airport. Guam International Airport also saw a rainfall total of 12.31 inches, which is a daily record.

Where is Super Typhoon Bavi right now?

Bavi first became a tropical storm last Wednesday. Two days later it strengthened into a typhoon, which is what hurricanes are called in the western Pacific Ocean north of the equator. The storm reached super typhoon strength later that day.

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It is now centered roughly 950 miles southeast of Okinawa, moving west at roughly 15 mph.

Bavi's winds are now around 145 mph.

Where is Bavi headed next?

As the forecast map below shows, Bavi is expected to take a northwest bend by Wednesday.

On that track, Bavi could first track near far southwest Japan's Sakishima Islands sometime Friday, then close enough to at least parts of Taiwan sometime Saturday. After that, Bavi could then arrive into parts of eastern China, including near Shanghai, later Saturday or Saturday night.

Interests in those areas should continue to monitor forecasts during the week for updates.

Will it lose any intensity?

Bavi is expected to feel more wind shear and eventually move over less deep, warm ocean water in the coming days.

That's expected to knock down some of Bavi's wind intensity by later this week.

However, as Bavi moves farther northwest, its size could grow larger even as it's winds are weakening, meaning a more expansive area of Taiwan and eastern China could experience at least tropical storm wind gusts by Friday and Saturday.

What to know about Guam, Marianas typhoons

The western Pacific Ocean north of the equator is the planet's most active zone for tropical cyclones.

In an average year, 25 to 26 tropical storms form in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, 16 of which become typhoons. That's roughly a dozen more storms and nine more hurricanes (typhoons) than an average Atlantic hurricane season.

Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are typically affected by tropical storms or typhoons six to seven times each year.

While typhoons can occur in the western Pacific Basin any time of year, the season for the Marianas usually stretches from June through December.

Intense typhoons have struck the islands recently.

Less than three months ago, Category 4 Super Typhoon Sinlaku clobbered the Northern Marianas and Guam with damaging winds, storm surge and rainfall flooding.

In May 2023, Category 4 Typhoon Mawar caused extensive damage to villages, pushed up to 14 feet of storm surge and dumped 1 to 2 feet of rain in Guam.

In late October 2018, Category 5 Super Typhoon Yutu slammed the islands of Saipan and Tinian with 175-mph winds, the strongest typhoon on record near those islands by wind speed.

Two people were killed and over 100 injured; numerous homes and buildings were damaged, including Saipan International Airport, and vegetation was stripped on parts of the islands.

Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at weather.com and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him on Bluesky, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.​