THE Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that the weather disturbance "Mawar" has intensified into a super typhoon (ST) on Thursday morning after being downgraded as a typhoon on Wednesday.
Pagasa, in its 5:00 am Thursday bulletin, said Mawar was last tracked 2,150 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon.
It is packing maximum winds of up to 185 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kilometers per hour with a diameter of 780 kilometers as it moves to the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
Mawar will be named "Betty" once it enters the PAR by Friday evening or Saturday morning.
Mawar is moving west northwest at 15 kilometers per hour and will remain a super typhoon.
Pagasa said Mawar's rain bands are expected to bring heavy rains over Cagayan Valley over the weekend, between Sunday and Tuesday next week.
It may enhance the southwest monsoon, bringing rains over the western parts of Luzon and Visayas starting Sunday or Monday.
Pagasa said Mawar will be enhancing the southwest monsoon or "habagat.
The weather agency also cited the effects of the prevailing southwesterly windflow, rain showers and thunderstorms will prevail over Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, Zamboanga Peninsula and BARMM.
Isolated rain showers or thunderstorms are also forecast over Metro Manila, Central and Northern Luzon and the rest of the country mostly in the afternoon through evening.