Supertyphoon ‘Haiyan’ seen to hit PH Friday noon

Typhoon Haiyan based on the satellite image of Project NOAH as of 5:20 p.m. Wednesday.

MANILA, Philippines — Rapidly intensifying over the Pacific Ocean, “Haiyan” has turned into a “supertyphoon,” steadily approaching the central part of the Philippines, which is predicted to strike at noon Friday.

The Hawaii-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) said the typhoon quickly strengthened over the past 24 hours from 65 knots (120 kilometers per hour) to the current intensity of 130 knots (241 kph), which qualified Haiyan as a supertyphoon under US meteorological standards.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) does not officially use supertyphoon as a classification. It calculates wind speeds based on 10-minute averages, unlike JWTC’s minute-long measurements, resulting in lower estimates.

As of mid-Wednesday, Pagasa calculated Haiyan’s peak sustained winds at 150 kph and gustiness of up to 185 kph.

But its weather forecasting section chief Rene Paciente said the typhoon, which would be named “Yolanda” upon its entry into the Philippine area of responsibility, would be “a big one.”

He told reporters that he expected Haiyan to reach at least 215 kph sustained winds “conservatively,” and even up to 250 kph.

Haiyan has been projected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility early morning Thursday, and to make landfall over the Samar-Leyte provinces between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday, it added.

It will exit by early morning Sunday, according to Pagasa.

The JTWC said that “due to very favorable environmental conditions, rapid intensification is forecast over the next 36 hours with a peak intensity expected over the Philippine Sea.”

Upon making landfall, the typhoon “will weaken as it tracks across the Philippine islands, but should emerge over the South China Sea near a 110 knot intensity (203.72 kph),” it added.

Paciente said the island provinces in the central part of the Philippines would likely be most heavily hit, including Samar and Leyte, Masbate, Romblon, Northern Cebu, Northern Panay, Mindoro and northern Palawan.

But he did not discount the possibility that the typhoon could track northwest-ward, in which case it would affect Southern Luzon, and even Metro Manila.

Paciente said the weather disturbance, with a diameter spanning 600 kilometers, would spawn strong winds, and heavy rains originating from the “wall” of the typhoon’s eye, Paciente said.

Due to its relatively fast movement, Haiyan may not be as destructive as some recent storms, unless it hits heavily populated areas, according to Paciente.

He noted that the storms with the highest recorded wind speeds were not necessarily the most destructive or the most deadly.

Pagasa’s records showed typhoon Reming of November 2006 hit peak winds of 320 kph, followed by Loleng of October 1998 with 287, and Anding of November 1981 with 280 kph.

Even so, Paciente urged residents of Eastern Visayas to take extra precaution and to adequately prepare for the approaching typhoon. By Thursday evening, he said he expected Signal No. 4, the highest storm alert, to be hoisted over the Visayas.

Gradually improving weather is seen over the Visayas by Saturday afternoon.

Potential destructive effects of a Signal No. 4 typhoon (more than 185 kph winds) include coconut plantations suffering extensive damage, many large trees uprooted, power and communication services severely disrupted, and very heavy damage to communities.

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