'Hagupit' now a super-typhoon: JTWC

Graphic warning for tropical storm "Hagupit" by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center

MANILA – The Hawaii-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) of the US Navy has categorized tropical cyclone ''Hagupit'' into a super typhoon.

The JTWC, in an update issued at 5 a.m. Thursday (Manila time), said Hagupit was maintaining a ''west-northwestward trajectory under the steering influence of the subtropical ridge."

This means that Hagupit was heading towards the Philippines as its upward movement was being blocked by the subtropical ridge, a large belt of high pressure in the northern hemisphere that is referred to as an anti-cyclone system.

The JTWC said as of 2 a.m. Thursday, Hagupit was packing 1-minute sustained winds of 240 kilometers per hour (130 knots) and gusts of 296 kph (160 knots).

The JTWC forecasts Hagupit to pack as much as 296 kph (160 knots) winds by December 7 (Sunday), 2 a.m., when it is nearer the Philippines.

In the JTWC model, Hagupit is seen heading slightly north and towards Luzon, avoiding the Yolanda-hit region of Visayas.

''The system will start to track slightly to the north at this timeframe. Expect favorable sea surface temperatures, along with continually favorable upper-level conditions to allow the system to further intensify,'' it said.

Philippine state weather bureau PAGASA, meanwhile, said Hagupit – which was locally named ''Ruby'' after it entered the Philippine area of responsibility today – was packing maximum sustained winds of 175 kph near the center and gusts of up to 210 kph.

PAGASA said Hagupit was spotted 942 kms east northeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur as of 4 a.m. It said Hagupit slowed down, moving west northwest at 25 kph.

SOURCE AND DETAILS HERE (ABS-CBN NEWS)

By Dharel Placido, ABS-CBNnews.com

RED ALERT

The Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System, meanwhile, has raised a red alert for Hagupit. It said the typhoon ''can have a high humanitarian impact based on the maximum sustained wind speed and the affected population and their vulnerability."The GDACS said the population that could be affected by Category 1 (120 kph) wind speeds or higher is 200,000.