Super Typhoon Yutu hit the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands on Thursday as the strongest storm to hit U.S. soil since 1935, leaving devastating damage in its wake.
Why it matters: Per Axios' Andrew Freedman: With maximum sustained winds of 180 mph when it hit Tinian, Saipan and Rota, Super Typhoon Yutu was tied for the strongest storm seen on Earth in 2018. It was the latest in a string of major hurricanes to hit the U.S. in recent years, including 3 major hurricanes in 2017 and Hurricane Michael so far this year.
Super Typhoon Yutu, the strongest storm on Earth in 2018, slammed into the Northern Mariana Islands in the western Pacific Ocean on Wednesday. The storm savagely battered the islands of Tinian, Saipan and Rota, with the eye completely engulfing Tinian at midday Wednesday. Super Typhoon Yutu is estimated to contain maximum sustained winds of at least 180 miles per hour, with higher gusts.
Why it matters: This storm is the strongest typhoon ever to strike the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and likely the strongest ever to strike the U.S. and its territories. “This is an historically significant event,” tweeted Michael Lowry, a FEMA hurricane specialist.
