PAGASA downgrades ‘Mawar’ into typhoon category
MANILA, Philippines (Updated 3:48 p.m.) — State weather bureau PAGASA has downgraded “Mawar”, previously a super typhoon, to a typhoon on Tuesday afternoon.
It will remain a typhoon in the next 12 hours, PAGASA weather forecaster Chris Perez said in a 1 p.m. press conference. PAGASA may start releasing tropical cyclone advisories beginning Wednesday afternoon or evening, while tropical cyclone bulletins will be available once “Mawar” enters the Philippine area of responsibility.
However, PAGASA said meteorologists are not ruling out the possibility that it may intensify again into a syper typhoon once it enters the Philippines.
Mawar was last seen 2,305 kilometers away from east Visayas, moving north and northwestward at 10 kilometers per hour. It had sustained winds of 175 kph near the center with gusts of 215 kph.
The southwesterly windflow has been bringing rains to the western section of the Philippines.
The typhoon is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility by either Friday evening or early Saturday and will be given the local name “Betty.”
The cyclone is not expected to make landfall in any part of the country.
Weather specialists said there is a bigger chance that it the typhoon will pass through the south of Taiwan and the Philippines’ extreme northern Luzon area. — Kaycee Valmonte