Mawar downgraded to typhoon category, says PAGASA

Super typhoon Mawar, which remains outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), has weakened into a typhoon on Wednesday morning, according to PAGASA.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, PAGASA weather specialist Rhea Torres said there is a possibility that Mawar may weaken further or become a super typhoon again within 24 hours.

"'Yung binabantayan natin na si dating super typhoon Mawar na nasa labas pa rin ng Philippine area of responsibility... humina ang intensity nito at naging isang typhoon category na lamang," she said.

(The former super typhoon Mawar, which we are monitoring outside the Philippine area of responsibility, has weakened to a typhoon category.)

"Ngunit naga-undergo ito o dumadaan sa tinatawag nating eyewall replacement cycle, ibig sabihin bahagyang hihina po ito or posible o mataas ang tsansa na lalakas o babalik ito into a super typhoon category within 24 hours," Torres added.

(However, Mawar is undergoing what we call eyewall replacement cycle, which means it could weaken although there is still a big chance that it will become a super typhoon again.)

As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, Mawar, packing maximum sustained winds of 175 kph, was spotted at 2,170 kilometers east of the Visayas and may enter PAR either on Friday evening or Saturday morning.

Mawar, which will be named Betty once it enters PAR, is expected to enhance the southwesterly winds, Torres said.

"Malaki po ang chance ng mga pag-ulan sa Western sections ng Visayas o sa Mindanao by Friday hanggang sa Tuesday.

(There is big chance that Mindanao and the western section of Visayas will be rainy from Friday to Tuesday.)

Torres said Mawar is unlikely to make landfall but the public should still prepare for any eventuality, saying inclement weather may still be experienced, particularly in Northern Luzon, because of the cyclone's trough.

This early, the Philippines has started preparations for Mawar's expected entry to PAR later this week.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered its regional directors to keep its coordination with their Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils. It also called on all local government units to prepare for Mawar. —KBK, GMA Integrated News