State weather bureau PAGASA addressed social media posts claiming that the Philippines may encounter a “super typhoon” this coming November.
The government agency, on Tuesday, October 28, said that it is aware of online posts claiming the possibility of the country encountering a powerful tropical cyclone next month.
It described the posts as coming from “unofficial and unverified sources,” which alleged that a westward-moving typhoon or super typhoon would cross Southern Luzon and the Visayas around November 5 to 7.
PAGASA clarified that the references were weather model predictions from online sources.
It then referred to its official two-week Tropical Cyclone Threat Potential Forecast released on October 26, emphasizing that there is still “high uncertainty in the specific details of the forecast, particularly regarding the exact path and intensity of the potential tropical cyclone.”
PAGASA added that this uncertainty exists because the forecast is still within the two-week range and may change depending on the movement of the potential weather disturbance.
“Dahil ang forecast na ito ay nasa loob pa ng dalawang linggong saklaw, nananatiling mataas ang uncertainty o hindi katiyakan sa mga detalye, lalo na sa direksyon at lakas ng posibleng bagyo,” PAGASA’s Facebook post read.
“Batay rin sa climatology ng mga bagyong dumaraan sa Pilipinas tuwing buwan ng Nobyembre, karaniwang kumikilos ang mga bagyo pa-kanluran, madalas na nakaapekto sa Southern Luzon at Visayas,” the weather bureau added.
It also said that for the week of October 27 to November 2, there is a “medium” chance of a westward-moving tropical cyclone developing outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
“This potential weather disturbance may eventually cross the central portion of the country during the following week (03-09 November),” PAGASA stated.
Posts
PAGASA issued the advisory following social media posts suggesting that a “super typhoon” could potentially affect the country in November.
“Isang malakas na bagyo ang posibleng mabuo at posibleng tumama sa bansa sa unang linggo ng Nobyembre!” a Facebook page said before, adding a Reel with the text “Super Typhoon?”
Another Facebook page also had the following post: “DELUBYONG NOBYEMBRE, PARADA NG MGA BAGYO?”
“Hindi rin inaalis ang posibilidad na ito ay maging isang ‘Super Typhoon’ dahil na rin sa mga pinapakitang posibilidad ng mga ‘Ensembles’ at ‘Weathermodels,'” it said.
PAGASA advised the public to regularly follow its official updates and advisories and to avoid relying on unverified information from unofficial sources, particularly for disaster preparedness.
The agency said official weather reports and updates can be accessed on its official website, verified Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) accounts and YouTube channel.
