THE Philippine weather bureau, PAGASA, is closely monitoring a tropical cyclone currently outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) that could intensify into a super typhoon over the weekend.
In a bulletin released Tuesday at 11 a.m., PAGASA reported that a low-pressure area south of Guam has developed into a tropical depression.
The system is packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near its center, with gusts reaching up to 70 kph, and is moving westward at 20 kph.
The tropical depression is expected to slow down slightly before gradually accelerating over the Philippine Sea.
It is forecast to enter the PAR by Friday evening or early Saturday, at which point it will be assigned the local name “Uwan.”
PAGASA also warned that the system may reach typhoon strength by Thursday and could further intensify into a super typhoon over the weekend.
While a landfall scenario appears increasingly possible, the exact location and timing remain uncertain.