Cyclone “Betty” (international name: Mawar) has slightly slowed down but the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said it remains in the super typhoon category.
Satellite image of super typhoon Betty (PAGASA)
In a press briefing on Saturday afternoon, May 27, the state weather bureau disclosed that the eye of super typhoon Betty was last seen 1,035 km east of Central Luzon, possessing maximum sustained winds of 185 kph and gustiness up to 230 kph. It is moving westward at 25 kph.
Despite Betty’s slight deceleration, PAGASA placed more areas under tropical cyclone wind signal (TCWS) number one. These areas include Batanes, Cagayan (including Babuyan Group of Island), Isabela, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Northern and Central portion of Abra, Kalinga, Eastern and Central portion of Mountain Province, Eastern and Central Portion of Ifugao, Northern and Central Portion of Aurora, Quirino, and the northeastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya.
PAGASA also noted that the southwest monsoon, which may be enhanced by Betty, might bring a series of strong breezes to a near-gale condition along with intermittent gusts tomorrow evening, May 28, or on Monday morning, May 29, in places such as Visayas, the western portions of Central and Southern Luzon, and the northern and western portions of Mindanao. (Sonny Daanoy)