I'm sure most of you are familiar with the infrared weather images. You know the ones, the darker the color the harder the rain is falling.

Looking at the local images is very exciting. I have never seen that much scarlet in my life. Last week, before the tropical storm petered out, we had three huge scarlet swirls rotating around Guam. Tropical Storm Palma, recently upgraded to super typhoon, Tropical Depression 18W, which petered out on Wednesday, and Typhoon Melor which is now building up to super typhoon strength.

Luckily Melor will run off to the north. We will get some tropical force winds tomorrow afternoon and evening as it pounds Saipan and Tinian. We shouldn't see much more than that.

Driving into town this afternoon was an education. All the storefronts have their protection in place with signs saying that they are open. The grocery stores are mobbed but that just might be the regular Friday crowd.