MANILA (3rd UPDATE) - Super typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan), the worlds strongest tropical cyclone of 2013, is packing winds in excess of 300 kilometers per hour, the US military said early Friday morning, just before the cyclone made landfall in the Visayas.The US Navy and Air Forces Joint Typhoon Warning Center, in its Super Typhoon 31W Warning No. 19, said Yolanda has maximum sustained winds of 315 kph (170 knots) and gusts reaching 380 kph (205 knots).The Hawaii-based weather center, which data is used by meteorologists worldwide, based is readings on one-minute average measurements.Due to very favorable environmental conditions, [Yolanda] is expected to remain at super typhoon intensity over the next 24 hours, it added.To compare, similar Category 5 level storms this year -- Usagi, Francisco, Lekima, and Phailin -- only had maximum sustained winds of 260 kph.Super typhoon Pablo also only carried 259 kph sustained winds and 314 kph gusts when it hit Mindanao in December 2012.This, as state weather bureau PAGASA placed 20 areas on Yolandas path under public storm warning signal number 4.The areas are: Masbate, Ticao Island, Southern Sorsogon, Romblon, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran province, Northern Cebu, Cebu City, Bantayan and Camotes Islands, Northern Negros Occidental, Capiz, Aklan, Antique, Iloilo, and Guimaras.Communities in the said locations will experience winds of more than 185 kph is expected in at least 12 hours, PAGASA said.Public storm warning signal number 3 has been hoisted over the following areas: Rest of Sorsogon, Burias Island, Albay, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Calamian Group of Islands, rest of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, rest of Cebu, Bohol, Surigao del Norte, Siargao Island, and Dinagat province.Storm signal number 2 has been raised over Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Southern Quezon, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Metro Manila,Cavite, Bataan, Lubang Islands, Northern Palawan, Siquijor, Camiguin, Surigao Del Sur, and Agusan del Norte. Storm signal number 1, meanwhile, has been declared in Camarines Norte, rest of Quezon, Polilio Island, Bulacan, Pampanga, Zambales, rest of Northern Palawan, Puerto Princesa, Misamis Oriental.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 09:23:03 +0000
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