According to the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), Tropical storm Hagupit has now developed into a typhoon with sustained winds of 130 km/h. The US Joint Typhoon Warning Center has captured the typhhon Hagupit in open ocean east of Palau.
Prior to reaching the Philippine Sea, Hagupit will bear down on the island of Yap during the first part of Wednesday night (local time), AccuWeather.com has reported.
Two scenarios have been identified for Typhoon Hagupit beyond Yap by AccuWeather.com. Both involve Hagupit becoming a powerful and dangerous typhoon as shown in the picture below.
At 4:00 p.m. Manila Time, the Typhoon Hagupit was spotted 2,265 km East of Mindanao with maximum sustained winds of 75 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph. Once it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday morning, it will be named "RUBY", The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
According to the Hawaii-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center of the US Navy, the storm was packing one-minute sustained winds of 111 kph (60 knots) as of 2 p.m. Tuesday.
The photo of Tropical Storm Hagupit in the western Pacific Ocean captured by NASA's Terra Satellite on Dec. 1 at 00:05 UTC shows a concentration of strong thunderstorms around the center of circulation and fragmented bands of thunderstorms spiraling into the center from the western quadrant. A tropical storm warning is in effect for Satawal in Yap state. A typhoon watch is in effect in Faraulep, Woleai, Fais and Ulithi in Yap state, and a tropical storm watch is in force in Puluwat in Chuuk state, NASA has mentioned in its website.
Tropical cyclones (typhoons) are called bagyo in Philippines. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) gives a local name to the tropical cyclones entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility. Heavy rainfall caused by Typhoon Halong had claimed lives of at least two people in Philippines in August 2014, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management said.
Original post: Natural Disasters List December 2, 2014