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Super Typhoon Sinlaku Targets Guam and CNMI with Cat 4-5 Winds; Multi-Day Tornado Outbreak Continues Across Texas and Oklahoma; FEMA Approves Disaster Declarations for Washington and Oregon
Episode 147 • 13th April 2026 • EM Morning Brief • Brian Colburn
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On today's EM Morning Brief, Super Typhoon Sinlaku — a Category 5 storm with 175 to 180 mph winds — is bearing down on the Northern Mariana Islands with catastrophic conditions expected for Saipan and Tinian Monday night. Federal emergency declarations are in place for both Guam and the CNMI. On the mainland, a rare four-day severe weather outbreak continues to threaten Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas with tornadoes, large hail, and flash flooding. The National Weather Service in Hawaii has extended a statewide flood watch through Monday evening. FEMA has also approved major disaster declarations for Washington state and Oregon following last December's devastating storms. EM Morning Brief is your concise daily update on national and state-by-state emergency management news. Produced by Sitch Radio, an EOC Voices podcast.

Takeaways

Super Typhoon Sinlaku is making a near-direct strike on Saipan and Tinian (CNMI) with catastrophic Category 4–5 winds of 145–160 mph expected Monday night/Tuesday; Guam is in COR2 with government closed and shelters open

Federal emergency declarations are in place for both Guam and the CNMI, approved April 12

Multi-day severe weather outbreak (TX, OK, KS) is in day three of a four-day SPC-highlighted event — tornado, large hail, and damaging wind threats continue today, with flash flooding a compounding risk from saturated soils

South Dakota's 79 Fire (Custer County, ~6,000 acres, 40% contained) prompted a governor's emergency declaration; a separate First Alert Weather Day is in effect today for critical wildfire conditions statewide

FEMA major disaster declarations for Washington and Oregon (December 2025 storms) were approved April 11, unlocking individual and public assistance for dozens of counties

Hawaii is under a statewide NWS Flood Watch through 6 PM Monday — the third significant flood event in roughly a month

Kilauea is at ADVISORY/Yellow following the end of eruptive Episode 44; no new activity, monitoring ongoing

Washington state had an offshore earthquake swarm (18+ quakes, M4.2 max) near the Juan de Fuca Ridge on April 12 — no land threat, no tsunami

DHS NTAS has no active advisories as of this morning

Sources

FEMA

NOAA / NWS

USGS

Guam

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Hawaii

South Dakota

Oklahoma

Oregon

Washington

Transcripts

Cedric:

Good morning, I'm Cedric and this is your EM Morning

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Brief for Monday, April 13, 2026.

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The most urgent life-safety

event in the nation today is

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unfolding in the Western Pacific.

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Super Typhoon Sinlaku — a Category 5 storm

with sustained winds of 175 to 180 miles

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per hour — is bearing down on the U.S.

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territories of Guam and the Commonwealth

of the Northern Mariana Islands.

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Saipan and Tinian face a direct

hit, with catastrophic winds of

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145 to 160 miles per hour forecast

for Monday night and Tuesday.

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President Trump approved federal

emergency declarations for both

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Guam and the CNMI on April 12,

unlocking immediate federal support.

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The Government of Guam has

closed non-essential operations,

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moved to Condition of Readiness

2, and opened public shelters.

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The CNMI is under Typhoon

Condition II with shelters open

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on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.

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More than 100 American Red Cross

disaster workers are pre-positioned

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across both territories.

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On the mainland, a rare multi-day

severe weather outbreak continues to

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grip the southern and central Plains.

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The Storm Prediction Center has issued

outlooks for four consecutive days

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— Saturday, April 11 through Tuesday,

April 14 — with tornadoes, large

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hail, and damaging winds threatening

a shifting corridor from west Texas

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through Oklahoma and into Kansas.

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Major population centers including

Dallas, Oklahoma City, Wichita, and

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Tulsa are in the projected impact

zone for multiple event days.

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Flash flood risk is elevated across

central and southeast Texas as soils are

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saturated from prior rounds of storms.

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FEMA announced major disaster declarations

on April 11 for Washington state and

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Oregon, covering communities damaged

by severe storms, straight-line

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winds, flooding, landslides, and

lides that struck in December:

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In Washington, 23 counties and the

Confederated Tribes and Bands of

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the Yakama Nation are eligible for

individual and public assistance.

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In Oregon, nine counties

including Tillamook, Hood

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River, and Lane are included.

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(Official updates

published ~48 hours ago.)

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In Hawaii, the National Weather

Service in Honolulu has extended

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a Flood Watch for all main

Hawaiian islands through 6:00 p.m.

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Monday.

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A disturbance approaching

from the northwest is bringing

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renewed deep tropical moisture to

already-saturated ground following

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multiple storms in recent weeks.

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Flash flooding, stream overflow, road

closures, and landslides on steep terrain

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remain possible through the evening hours.

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USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory

issued a notice on April 12 noting that

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Kilauea remains at ADVISORY level and

Aviation Color Code YELLOW following the

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end of eruptive Episode 44 on April 9.

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No new eruptive activity

has been detected.

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HVO continues monitoring in coordination

with Hawaii County Civil Defense.

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No tsunami warnings or watches

are in effect for the Pacific

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Basin as of this morning.

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Let’s run through the

states and territories.

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Hawaii

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The National Weather Service has

extended a Flood Watch for all main

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Hawaiian islands — Niihau, Kauai, Oahu,

Molokai, Lanai, Maui, Kahoolawe, and

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the Big Island — through 6:00 p.m.

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Monday.

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An approaching moisture disturbance

is combining with saturated soils and

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elevated stream levels from recent

storms to raise flash flood potential.

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Road closures, stream overflows, and

landslides are possible statewide.

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This marks the third significant

flood event in roughly one

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month for the Hawaiian islands.

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USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory issued

a notice on April 12 noting that Kilauea's

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summit remains at ADVISORY level (Aviation

Color Code YELLOW) following the end

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of eruptive Episode 44 on April 9.

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The north vent produced an approximately

500-foot lava fountain during that

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episode, sending tephra into public

areas of Hawaii Volcanoes National

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Park and nearby communities.

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No new eruptive activity is occurring;

HVO is monitoring in coordination

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with Hawaii County Civil Defense.

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Kansas falls within the active zone of

the multi-day severe weather outbreak

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affecting the southern and central

Plains through at least Tuesday.

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The Storm Prediction Center's

Day 1 outlook for April 13 places

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portions of Kansas in a threat

zone for tornadoes, large hail,

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and damaging straight-line winds.

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Wichita has been identified as

one of the cities facing repeated

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severe weather exposure during

this extended outbreak period.

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Oklahoma is in its third consecutive

day of severe weather under a multi-day

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outbreak affecting the southern Plains.

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The Storm Prediction Center's

outlook for April 13 targets portions

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of the state with tornado, large

hail, and damaging wind threats

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from the afternoon into evening.

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Oklahoma City and Tulsa are within

the multi-day impact corridor.

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Forecasters note cumulative risks

as saturated soils elevate flash

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flood potential and prolonged

exposure may reduce public vigilance

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heading into subsequent event days.

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Oregon

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Federal disaster assistance is available

for nine Oregon counties following

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President Trump's major disaster

declaration (DR-:

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The declaration covers severe storms,

straight-line winds, flooding, landslides,

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and mudslides from December 15-21, 2025.

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Eligible counties are Clackamas,

Hood River, Lane, Lincoln, Linn,

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Polk, Tillamook, Union, and Yamhill.

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Public assistance is available to

state, tribal, and local governments

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and certain nonprofits for emergency

work and infrastructure repair.

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Shawna M.

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Jepson is the designated

Federal Coordinating Officer.

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(Official update published ~48 hours ago.)

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South Dakota

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Governor Larry Rhoden declared a

state of emergency on April 12 for

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the 79 Fire in Custer County, a

fast-moving grass fire that has grown

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to approximately 5,000 to 6,000 acres

along East French Creek Road east of

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Highway 79 in eastern Custer County.

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The fire is 40% contained with

forward progression stopped;

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no structures have been lost.

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Federal, state, and local

firefighting resources, including

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aircraft, are actively engaged.

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The declaration enables state fire

suppression funds to cover response costs.

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Separately, the National Weather

Service issued a First Alert Weather

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Day for Monday due to a higher-end

critical wildfire risk in South

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Dakota from Custer to Phillip.

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Gusty winds, low relative humidity

dropping to 17% in some areas, and dry

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fuels are combining to create conditions

favorable for rapid fire spread,

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particularly during the noon to 7 p.m.

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window.

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Texas is in the third day of a

multi-day severe weather outbreak.

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The Storm Prediction Center's Day 1

outlook for April 13 covers central

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and north Texas with tornado, large

hail, and damaging wind threats

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during afternoon and evening hours.

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A separate excessive rainfall

risk extends across central and

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southeast Texas, where flash flooding

remains possible as the ground is

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saturated from prior storm rounds.

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Dallas sits within the multi-day severe

weather corridor and may face a third

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consecutive day of storm impacts.

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Utah

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The National Weather Service is

forecasting severe thunderstorms capable

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of wind gusts exceeding 55 miles per hour

through this evening across northern Utah.

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Gusty outflow winds from afternoon

convection can rapidly intensify and

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pose sudden hazards to transportation,

outdoor activities, and structures.

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Washington

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President Trump approved a major disaster

declaration (DR-:

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state on April 11, making federal

assistance available to 23 counties

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and the Confederated Tribes and Bands

of the Yakama Nation for recovery from

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severe storms, straight-line winds,

flooding, landslides, and mudslides

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that struck December 5-19, 2025.

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Included counties span western and

central Washington, including King,

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Pierce, Snohomish, and Skagit.

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Assistance includes individual

grants, low-interest disaster loans,

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and public assistance for government

and nonprofit infrastructure repair.

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John F.

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Harrison is the Federal

Coordinating Officer.

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(Official update published ~48 hours ago.)

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An earthquake swarm was detected on

April 12 approximately 250 miles offshore

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near the Juan de Fuca Ridge, with 18

or more earthquakes over 12 hours.

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The strongest measured magnitude 4.2.

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The Pacific Northwest Seismic

Network confirmed the swarm poses

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no threat to land and is not near

the Cascadia Subduction Zone.

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No tsunami was generated.

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Guam

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Super Typhoon Sinlaku is approaching

the island and Guam is under Condition

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of Readiness 2 as of this morning.

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The Government of Guam has closed

non-essential operations, public

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schools, and courts; essential

services remain operational.

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Public shelters opened April 12.

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Tropical storm-force winds (39 mph or

greater) are expected to reach Guam Monday

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night, but typhoon-force winds are not

forecast to directly impact the island.

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President Trump approved a federal

emergency declaration for Guam

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on April 12, with assistance

available beginning April 11.

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Commonwealth of the

Northern Mariana Islands

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Super Typhoon Sinlaku is on a direct

track toward Saipan and Tinian and is

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forecast to bring catastrophic Category

4 to 5 conditions, with sustained

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winds of 145 to 160 miles per hour

and gusts potentially exceeding that,

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during Monday night and Tuesday.

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Governor Arnold Palacios Apatang

has directed residents to seek

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safe shelter and limit travel.

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The CNMI has been raised to

Typhoon Condition II, with shelters

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open across populated islands.

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President Trump approved a federal

emergency declaration for the

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CNMI on April 12, with assistance

available beginning April 11.

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All other states and territories

have nothing to report.

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That's your EM Morning Brief

,:

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Stay safe.

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