...MONSOON SURGE TO CONTINUE BRINGING HEAVY SHOWERS AND GUSTY WINDS THIS WEEKEND... An unsettled weather pattern remains in store for Palau and Yap for this weekend, as a series of southwesterly monsoon surges will continue to pummel both Palau and Yap. Now that Invest 92W has left the region to the northwest, a seasonal southwesterly monsoon trough has settled across Palau and Yap. Heavier weather is still expected through Saturday at Palau, and through Saturday night at Yap, with occasionally very strong gusts expected near these showers. Conditions are expected to improve considerably thereafter, with a return to patchy showers and gentler winds for much of early next week. At this time, mudslides continue to be unlikely; however, if soils become saturated, any additional rainfall may quickly become runoff and increase mudslide risks, especially at Palau. While trade swells have weakened, localized wind waves and a developing southwest swell will produce choppy seas in Palau and Yap coastal waters through at least the first half of next week. Surf will continue to increase along south and west facing reefs of Palau and Yap, but are not likely to become hazardous at this time. This will be the last issuance of the Special Weather Statement for this event. For more information, residents and mariners should monitor the latest forecasts for the region at weather.gov/gum/PublicForecasts and any information shared by WSO Palau and WSO Yap for their local regions.