Typhoon Mangkhut strengthens as it heads toward Philippines
MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Mangkhut has further intensified as it continues to approach the Philippine area of responsibility Tuesday morning, state weather bureau PAGASA said.
In its latest bulletin, PAGASA said that “Mangkhut” now packs maximum sustained winds of 170 kilometers per hour near the center from the previous 160 kilometers per hour.
It also has gustiness of up to 210 kilometers per hour from the previous 195 kilometers per hour.
“Mangkhut” is moving slowly at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour.
Once it enters the country’s vicinity Wednesday afternoon, “Mangkhut” will be named “Ompong.” It was last located 1,845 kilometers east of Southern Luzon.
Tropical cyclone warning signal number one may be raised as early as Thursday evening, PAGASA said.
The state weather bureau added that the typhoon will threaten Northern Luzon and may cross the Cagayan-Batanes area by Saturday.
It will also boost the southwest monsoon, which will bring scattered light to moderate rains and thunderstorms over the Zamboanga Peninsula, Western Visayas and Palawan beginning Thursday.
“Mangkhut” passed through Guam overnight, flooding streets, downing trees and causing widespread power outages.
Forecast positions
- Wednesday morning: 1,285 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes (Outside PAR)
- Thursday morning: 950 kilometers east of Daet, Camarines Norte
- Friday morning: 600 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora
- Saturday morning: 50 kilometers southwest of Calayan, Cagayan
- Sunday morning: 490 kilometers northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte
‘Neneng’ now a tropical storm
“Neneng”—which left the PAR Tuesday morning—has developed into a tropical storm while moving westward toward Southern China.
It has been given an international name of “Barijat.”
The center of the tropical storm was last seen 350 kilometers west of extreme Northern Luzon. Its effect on Northern Luzon is “gradually decreasing,” the state weather bureau said. — Gaea Katreena Cabico
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