Bagyong Yolanda May Develop Into Super Typhoon - PAGASA

Bagyong Yolanda, internationally codenamed Haiyan, may become a super typhoon over the next few days, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Tuesday.

Bagyong Yolanda Track Forecast (Source: JWTC)

PAGASA defines 'super typhoon' as a tropical cyclone that is packing maximum sustained winds of over 200kph.

The state weather bureau said Bagyong Yolanda was estimated at 2,026 km East of Mindanao at 2:00pm on Tuesday, November 5. The cyclone is forecast to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday morning, November 7. Once it penetrates PAR, Yolanda may then affect Samar provinces and possibly Bicol. More provinces are expected to be affected the following day and a Public Storm Warning Signal Number 4 may also be hoisted in some areas.

As of this posting, Bagyong Yolanda is still categorized as a tropical storm but due to favorable environmental conditions, it may rapidly intensify over the next 48 hours, according to weather forecasters.

Citing the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center, NASA said Bagyong Yolanda will make a landfall in central Philippines on Friday, November 8.

"The Joint Typhoon Warning Center has forecast newborn Tropical Storm Haiyan to strengthen to a powerful typhoon before making landfall in the Philippines on November 8," NASA wrote.

It added, "The Joint Typhoon Warning Center expects Haiyan to intensify to 120 knots/138.1 mph/222.2 kph as it approaches the central Philippines on Nov. 8. That strength is equal to a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale."