Tropical Cyclone Hagupit intensifies near Palau with 150+ km/h winds, threatening 24–36 hour storm surge and extreme rainfall impact to the island nation.
🌀 OPEN LIVE 3D WEATHER ALERTSTropical Cyclone Hagupit is intensifying near Palau as of May 5, 2026, with sustained winds of 150+ km/h and a trajectory that poses immediate threat to the island nation's 17,000 residents. Located at coordinates 10.3°N, 131.0°E—approximately 180 km northwest of Koror, Palau's capital—Hagupit is classified as a severe tropical cyclone by the Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS). Storm surge, extreme rainfall, and damaging winds are the primary hazards; the system is moving westward at 12 km/h, giving residents a 24–36 hour window for evacuation and shelter preparation.
Tropical cyclones form over warm ocean waters (>26.5°C) where atmospheric instability, low wind shear, and sufficient Coriolis force align to spin a low-pressure vortex. In May, the Western Pacific monsoon trough and warm waters around Palau create ideal conditions for rapid intensification. Hagupit's strength derives from latent heat energy released as water vapor condenses in its eye wall—the structure that produces the most violent winds and heaviest rainfall.
Pandita Data's 3D weather module ingests live satellite imagery (HIMAWARI-8), sea surface temperature data (NOAA), and GDACS alerts to render real-time cyclone position, wind field, and pressure evolution. Users can visualize Hagupit's eye structure, rainfall distribution, and projected track uncertainty across the Western Pacific basin.
Track Hagupit's position, intensity, and rainfall in real time via the Pandita Data weather simulation module.