Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Typhoon Hanna (international name: Soudelor), which has entered the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) Wednesday morning (August 5), is expected to bring moderate to heavy rainfall in areas within its 600 km diameter.
In its 11 a.m. severe weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Hanna was packing maximum sustained winds of 195 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kph as of 10 a.m.
Though it has weakened compared to its strength when it first entered the PAR, the state weather bureau said it still has a possibility of intensifying into a super typhoon as it is hovering over the sea, from which it is gathering energy.
To be declared a super typhoon, sustained winds should exceed 220 kph.
Related: Storm Signal No. 5 officially added by PAGASA
The eye of the typhoon was located at 1,235 km east of Calayan, Cagayan, as of 4 p.m. on Wednesday.
Hanna is expected to move west northwest at 20 kph with the following forecast positions:
24 hour (Thursday morning): 910 km east northeast of Calayan, Cagayan or at 850 km east of Itbayat, Batanes
48 hour (Friday morning): 375 km east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes
72 hour (Saturday morning): 400 km north northwest of Itbayat, Batanes
96 hour (Sunday morning): Outside the PAR or at 770 km Northwest of Itbayat, Batanes
No public storm warning signal has been raised as of posting time, but PAGASA said storm signals may soon be raised over Batanes, which would be affected by heavy rain over the weekend.
“Based on our available data, [the] Batanes area mostly will be affected by Typhoon Hanna this coming Friday or Saturday,” PAGASA weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said in a phone interview on CNN Philippines’ Headline News.
