Super Typhoon Bavi likely to enter PAR as early as Tuesday

Super Typhoon Bavi (international name) may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) in the coming days and enhance the southwest monsoon, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall to parts of the country, according to the state weather bureau on Monday.

“If the super typhoon’s movement and direction do not change,” Aldczar D. Aurelio, weather specialist at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said during a 5:00 a.m. briefing in Filipino.

“It is expected to enter PAR between Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning,” he added.

Upon the super typhoon’s entry into PAR, it will be assigned the local name Inday, the country’s ninth tropical cyclone this year.

As of 4:00 a.m., Bavi was located 2,365 kilometers east of Southeastern Luzon, PAGASA said.

It intensified based on the latest monitoring, packing maximum sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 265 kph.

“There is a low chance of it making landfall in the country. The super typhoon’s center may pass near the Batanes area before making landfall in Taiwan,” Mr. Aurelio said, adding that Bavi was moving west-northwest at 15 kph toward PAR.

As for its effects, the super typhoon, along with the effects southwest monsoon, is expected to bring strong winds to large parts of the country from Tuesday to Wednesday, Mr. Aurelio said.

By Thursday, the enhanced southwest monsoon may bring scattered rain showers and thunderstorms, particularly over the western portion of the country.

Fair weather is expected across the country on Monday as the effects of Bavi and the southwest monsoon have yet to be felt. However, localized thunderstorms may develop in the afternoon or evening. — Edg Adrian A. Eva