The latest tropical disturbance in the Pacific, Tropical Cyclone Florita or Neoguri was declared as a “Super Typhoon” by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) of the US Department of Defense. In the Philippines, PAGASA noted that Tropical Cyclone Florita will not make a landfall in the country.
Photo Credit: NOAA Website
According to JTWC, tropical cyclone “Florita” has one-minute maximum sustained winds of 130 knots or 240.76 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of 160 knots or 296.32 kph. The JTWC forecast that the super typhoon Florita has been moving northwestward at 25.98 kilometers per hour.
Meanwhile, PAGASA does not officially use the “super typhoon” category on their latest forecast issued at around 5:00 AM on July 7, 2014. “Bagyong Florita” has maximum sustained winds of only 185 kph and gustiness of up to 220 kph.
The typhoon Florita was located at 650 kilometers east northeast of Aparri, Cagayan at around 6:00 AM, it is forecast to move northwest at 24 kph. The typhoon is not expected to make a landfall in the Philippines according to PAGASA.
Although “Bagyong Florita” will not make a landfall, PAGASA noted that Metro Manila, Western Visayas, MIMAROPA and the provinces of Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas will have monsoon rains. The rest of Visayas and Luzon will experienced occasional rainshowers throughout the day.
Bagyong Florita (Neoguri) is the sixth storm to hit the Philippines for the year 2014, it is also the first storm during the rainy season. PAGASA estimates that about 20 typhoons and less powerful storms will hit the country each year.
