U.S. territories brace for powerful super typhoon in western Pacific

World U.S. island territories brace for super typhoon, strongest storm so far this year, in western Pacific Ocean By Emily Mae Czachor Emily Mae Czachor News Editor Emily Mae Czachor is a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com. She typically covers breaking news, extreme weather and issues involving social justice. Emily Mae previously wrote for outlets like the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed and Newsweek. Read Full Bio Emily Mae Czachor Updated on: April 13, 2026 / 11:52 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Guam and other U.S. island territories in the western Pacific Ocean on Monday braced for the most powerful storm of the year so far, which could bring destructive winds and widespread flooding over the next 48 hours, forecasts show.Super Typhoon Sinlaku was traveling west-northwest toward the Marianas Islands just after 9 a.m. ET — or 11 p.m. in the local time zone — according to the National Weather Service office in Guam, which is home to three U.S. military bases. The Marianas are an archipelago comprising 15 different islands, including Guam, in the western Pacific, about 1,500 miles east of the Philippines. They are U.S.-held territories.The typhoon's maximum sustained winds stabilized at 175 mph as the massive storm approached the island chain, after peaking at 180 mph on Sunday. This is the strongest storm to develop in 2026, behind typhoons Narelle and Dudzai, which respectively peaked at 149 and 147 mph, said CBS News meteorologist Nikki Nolan. Monday, April 13, 2026. Valid at 6:37 PM ChSTTyphoon Warning: Rota, Tinian, SaipanTropical Storm Warning: Guam, Pagan, AlamaganTyphoon Watch: GuamTropical Storm Watch: AgrihanFor the latest forecast and information, visit https://t.co/kUCuTWXo6w pic.twitter.com/JGt0GC4XMv— NWS Guam 🇬🇺 (@NWSGuam) April 13, 2026 In the Southwest Pacific, "typhoon" is the term used to describe a tropical storm that forecasters would call a hurricane in the U.S. They're just two different...