Super typhoon Mawar has intensified slightly while moving towards the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Friday, May 26.
Latest track and intensity forecast of super typhoon Mawar
In its latest bulletin, PAGASA said the center of the eye of “Mawar” was last seen 1,705 kilometers (km) east of Southeastern Luzon, packing maximum winds of 215 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 260 kph. It is still moving west northwestward at 20 kph.
At this rate, Mawar may enter PAR tonight, May 26 or Saturday morning, May 27. Despite its slight intensification, PAGASA warned that it could still hit its peak intensity with maximum winds of 220 kph.
“The super typhoon may slightly weaken by tomorrow evening but is expected to remain as a super typhoon until Monday morning due to highly favorable environment,” said the state weather bureau. PAGASA Weather Specialist Ana Clauren-Jorda, however, stressed that the public should not be complacent despite the forecasted weakening.
“Hindi tayo dapat makampante na [hihina ang bagyo]. Ang typhoon category ay malakas pa rin po (We should not be complacent knowing that it will weaken into a typhoon. The typhoon category is still strong),” said Clauren-Jorda.
The weather disturbance remained less likely to hit the Philippine landmass, but its outer rainbands may affect parts of the country, especially Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and mainland Cagayan.
“Umaabot ng 500 kilometers ang radius ng bagyo kaya hindi natin inaalis ang posibilidad na magtaas ng warning signals dito sa ilang bahagi ng Northern at eastern portion ng Central Luzon (The cyclone’s radius reaches 500 kilometers, so we are not ruling out the possibility of raising warning signals here in some parts of the Northern and eastern portion of Central Luzon),” she added.
The highest cyclone wind signal that may be raised according to Clauren-Jorda is wind signal number three.