Butchoy intensifies into super typhoon

MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Butchoy (international name Nepartak) intensified yesterday into a super typhoon but weather forecasters said it was unlikely to hit any part of the country.

Butchoy, which packed winds of 210 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 245 kph, was spotted 615 kilometers east- southeast of Basco, Batanes as of 4 p.m. yesterday.

It continued to move northwest toward Taiwan at 30 kph, according to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio.

In a press briefing yesterday, Aurelio said Butchoy was not expected to make landfall, but would enhance the southwest monsoon, which would bring rains over the western section of Luzon and the Visayas until the weekend.

The outer periphery of the super typhoon was expected to affect extreme Northern Luzon, bringing heavy rains and strong winds, according to Aurelio.

Signal No. 1

As of 5 p.m. yesterday, public storm warning signal No. 1 was raised over the Batanes group of islands.

Butchoy has quickly strengthened from a tropical storm with wind speeds of 110 kph to a roaring super typhoon with winds hitting 240 kph and could surge even higher, according to the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

The JTWC classifies super typhoon as having maximum winds of at least 150 mph, equivalent to Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

PAGASA uses 10-minute average readings for a cyclone’s wind speed, compared to the one-minute average readings of the JTWC.

PAGASA’s readings produce lower average maximum sustained wind speeds for cyclones.

Monsoon rains

Aurelio said the southwest monsoon, which was being enhanced by the cyclone, started dumping rains over the western section of Southern Luzon, including Palawan and Western Visayas.

He said these areas would continue to have moderate to occasionally heavy rains until tomorrow.

Beginning tomorrow until Saturday, the western section of Central and Southern Luzon, including Metro Manila and the provinces of Bataan and Zambales, will experience monsoon rains, which may trigger flashfloods and landslides.

The weather will start to improve on Sunday, although light to moderate rains may still prevail over the western section of Luzon, including Metro Manila.

Meanwhile, PAGASA weather division chief Esperanza Cayanan said the monsoon rains would not be as intense as in 2012 and 2013, when many parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila, experienced severe flooding. – With Janvic Mateo