‘Explosive’: Bavi rapidly intensifies into super typhoon outside PAR

MANILA, Philippines – The tropical cyclone with the international name Bavi rapidly intensified from a typhoon into a super typhoon outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday evening, July 3.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a Facebook post that Bavi’s maximum sustained winds had increased to 185 kilometers per hour as of 8 pm on Friday, while its gustiness is now up to 230 km/h.

Earlier, at 3 pm, Bavi’s maximum sustained winds were at 150 km/h. PAGASA upgrades tropical cyclones to super typhoon status when their maximum sustained winds reach at least 185 km/h.

The Japan Meteorological Agency also said on Friday evening that Bavi underwent “explosive intensification over the past 12 hours.”

Bavi was last spotted 3,090 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas at 8 pm, moving west toward PAR at 20 km/h.

PAGASA said the super typhoon may enter PAR by Wednesday, July 8. Once inside, it will be given the local name Inday.

While forecasts are still highly uncertain as Bavi remains far from PAR, the weather bureau has warned the public that the super typhoon could come close to Northern Luzon while possibly heading for Taiwan.

Taiwan, which is above the Philippines’ northernmost province of Batanes, is within PAR.

Given the intensity and size of the future Inday, tropical cyclone wind signals might be raised for portions of Northern Luzon and Central Luzon even if the super typhoon does not make landfall in the Philippines.

PAGASA added that Bavi is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat, which may bring significant rainfall starting Wednesday or Thursday, July 9. Floods and landslides are likely.

No two tropical cyclones are alike, but Bavi’s possible track and enhancement of the southwest monsoon could be similar to that of Super Typhoon Carina (Gaemi) in July 2024. Carina made landfall in Taiwan, not in the Philippines, but it still affected parts of Northern Luzon and enhanced the southwest monsoon. During that time, the southwest monsoon caused massive floods in parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila.

The weather bureau advised the public to keep monitoring updates on Bavi, especially since forecasts can still change. – Rappler.com