Monster Typhoon Strengthens as It Nears Remote US Islands in Pacific Ocean

Sustained winds reached 175 miles per hour as Super Typhoon Sinlaku took direct aim at the Northern Mariana Islands.

This satellite image provided by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows super typhoon Sinlakua in the Pacific Ocean, on April 13, 2026. NOAA via AP

A massive typhoon strengthened as it headed toward the U.S. Northern Mariana Islands, remote islands in the western Pacific Ocean, while barely missing Guam, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported April 13.

Super Typhoon Sinlaku reached Category 5 with sustained winds of 175 miles per hour and intense electrical activity expected to reach the islands early April 14, making it the strongest tropical cyclone of 2026.