Philippines: 'Ruby' (Hagupit) upgraded to 'Super Typhoon'

[webfact]

'Ruby' (Hagupit) upgraded to 'supertyphoon'



MANILA: -- The US Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) has upgraded Typhoon “Ruby,” internationally known as Hagupit, into a “supertyphoon.” The storm entered the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) early Thursday morning, according to INQUIRER.net.

In its latest bulletin, the JTWC said Ruby was already packing maximum sustained winds of “130 KT” (240 kph) with “GUSTS [of] 160 KT” (296 kph). A typhoon is classified as a supertyphoon if it brings maximum sustained winds of 220 kph.

In its 5am bulletin, the Philippine Atmopsheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) still classified Ruby as a typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 210 kph.

Aldczar Aurelio of Pagasa said Ruby crossed into the PAR at about 2 a.m. and continued on a path towards Eastern Visayas. He said it was still too far to affect the country.

As of 4am Thursday, Ruby was 942 kilometers east northeast of Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur or 1,023 kilometers east of Surigao City, Pagasa said. It is forecast to move west northwest at 25 kph.

State forecasters are monitoring whether it would recurve or change course and head towards southern Japan or make landfall in Eastern Visayas.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/ruby-hagupit-upgraded-supertyphoon


-- Thai PBS 2014-12-04

[NeverSure]

Prayers up.

240 mph is a killer and then some.

[bob4you]

Fingers crossed, please God make it change directions quickly.

[bryanlunadelacruz]

my poor countrymen...Take care!!!!

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Global Cooling (joke)

[bubba]

This storm's track has been very difficult to predict, but the US Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Centre model currently shows the storm passing about 50 miles to the north of Manila with sustained winds of 135 its (250 kph). That's bad enough, but imagine a direct hit on Manila. Given the way Manila floods, its poor infrastructure, and a very dense population of 25.5 million people in Metro Manila, that would be a true disaster.

Let's hope the storm track shifts away from Manila, but unfortunately, it looks to me like Hagupit is now nearly certain to make landfill somewhere in the Philippines.

Edited December 4, 2014 by bubba

[SOTIRIOS]

'.....already packing maximum sustained winds of “130 KT” (240 kph) with “GUSTS [of] 160 KT” (296 kph). A typhoon is classified as a supertyphoon if it brings maximum sustained winds of 220 kph.'

...therefore........a super-super typhoon....

[TheKnave]

Prayers up.

240 mph is a killer and then some.

It says 240 Kph (kilometers per hour), or about 130 knots. Severe, but nothing like 240 mph.

Edited December 4, 2014 by TheKnave

[abitmiffed]

Prayers up.

240 mph is a killer and then some.

Kph and mph are a bit different but never the less lets hope for no more disasters.

[smotherb]

Fingers crossed, please God make it change directions quickly.

If god does not make it change directions, has he murdered all those poor people?

[bubba]

Still looking like nearly a direct hit on Manila:

[Bang Bamru]

on that trajectory if it hits manila it wont do much damage there because it has already encountered too much land and will dissipate much of its energy before then

Edited December 5, 2014 by Bang Bamru

[bubba]

on that trajectory if it hits manila it wont do much damage there because it has already encountered too much land and will dissipate much of its energy before then

Have you ever been to Manila and seen the infrastructure there? Or been there when there was a brief evening thunderstorm that cause flooding over much of the city?

A few years back, Typhoon Nesat hit Manila at a strength similar to that of Hagupit. Most of Manila was under waist deep water and electricity in many areas, including Makati, was out for days.

In 2006, Typhoon Xangsane hit Manila with disastrous flood and almost the entire island of Luzon was without power. When it reached Manila, winds were actually lower than what is currently forecasted for Hagupit.

This is indeed a dangerous storm and hopefully Manila is prepared for it.

[PoorSucker]

http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/isobaric/1000hPa/orthographic=-235.26,12.10,2212

[ghuost]

on that trajectory if it hits manila it wont do much damage there because it has already encountered too much land and will dissipate much of its energy before then

Have you ever been to Manila and seen the infrastructure there? Or been there when there was a brief evening thunderstorm that cause flooding over much of the city?

A few years back, Typhoon Nesat hit Manila at a strength similar to that of Hagupit. Most of Manila was under waist deep water and electricity in many areas, including Makati, was out for days.

In 2006, Typhoon Xangsane hit Manila with disastrous flood and almost the entire island of Luzon was without power. When it reached Manila, winds were actually lower than what is currently forecasted for Hagupit.

This is indeed a dangerous storm and hopefully Manila is prepared for it.

now downgraded to tropical storm and by the cloud map isnt going to go near manila. one wonders again just how much influence insurance companies have on those who predict and measure the intensity of these events. the cloud map overlay on the base land map seems to be a random fluctuating placement to suit prevailing sensibilities and NGO pressures.

notice i have carefully avoided the term "BS" here.

Edited December 8, 2014 by ghuost

[bubba]

on that trajectory if it hits manila it wont do much damage there because it has already encountered too much land and will dissipate much of its energy before then

Have you ever been to Manila and seen the infrastructure there? Or been there when there was a brief evening thunderstorm that cause flooding over much of the city?

A few years back, Typhoon Nesat hit Manila at a strength similar to that of Hagupit. Most of Manila was under waist deep water and electricity in many areas, including Makati, was out for days.

In 2006, Typhoon Xangsane hit Manila with disastrous flood and almost the entire island of Luzon was without power. When it reached Manila, winds were actually lower than what is currently forecasted for Hagupit.

This is indeed a dangerous storm and hopefully Manila is prepared for it.

now downgraded to tropical storm and by the cloud map isnt going to go near manila. one wonders again just how much influence insurance companies have on those who predict and measure the intensity of these events. the cloud map overlay on the base land map seems to be a random fluctuating placement to suit prevailing sensibilities and NGO pressures.

notice i have carefully avoided the term "BS" here.

The center of the storm will be within 50 nm of Manila after midnight tonight. All models now agree. Happy to hear you avoided the term 'BS' here, and I seriously doubt this is a worldwide insurance company conspiracy.

Latest satellite map showing centre of circulation just to the south and east of Manila. The red pin is Manila:

http://wxug.us/1m3bu