Tropical storm Hagupit has intensified into a typhoon about 2 a.m. Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
At 4 a.m. today, Hagupit was located 1,670 km east of Mindanao, moving at a speed of 30 kph west-northwest. The typhoon, which will be named “Ruby” once it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), has maximum sustained winds of 130 kph near the center and gusts of up to 160 kph.
Hagupit is expected to enter PAR Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, state weather bureau PAGASA in its 5 a.m. bulletin, predicted cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms over Eastern Visayas.
Cagayan Valley will be cloudy with light rain while the Cordillera, Ilocos, and Central Luzon regions will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated light rain due to the northeast monsoon.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
Winds will be moderate to strong from the northeast to east over Luzon and the eastern areas of the Visayas. Coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough.
Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate from the northeast, with slight to moderate seas.
