Hagupit (Ruby) Tracking a Little Further North and Weakening But Still Dangerous

Please note: this is not an official forecast. Please use official forecasts for any decision making in regard to Hagupit.

Somewhat good news for Tacloban. The storm center is expected to cross the Philippines north of the city so devastated by Haiyan (Yolanda), last year. This will mean that the worst winds should be coming from the northwest which makes a major storm surge is unlikely in that area. 

Storm surges of up to 13 feet (4 meters) are expected north of the storm center. Central winds have weakened since Wednesday night and the storm has been down-graded one category. There will still be damage from winds but nothing like what Wednesday's 180 mph sustained winds could produce.

The forecast course for Hagupit is for it to pass very close to Manila, the capitol. By then the mountains should have taken some more steam out of the storm, and I can't see how a significant storm surge can develop there unless the centre stalls just west of the city.

Hagupit is expected to hit the islands Saturday evening Manila time - Saturday morning EST. It will move painfully slowly across the islands depositing as much as 2 feet of rain. 

One would expect many mudslides and, unfortunately, many lives lost. It is not uncommon for such typhoons to be responsible for taking more than 1000 lives.

Rainfall amount forecast - good grief!

Again, as yesterday, I ask you Christians to be in prayer for the people of the Philippines, especially the children, that they would not only survive the storm, but that they would be safe from predatory pedophiles after the storm.

Friday night satellite picture - pretty ugly

Post Haiyan evacuation

Some of the damage done by Haiyan last year

Super Typhoon Hagupit Strengthens as it Nears Philippines

Oh no! Not Tacloban again!

Typhoon Hagupit has strengthened into a super storm over the Pacific as it approaches the Philippines.

Hagupit, or "Ruby" in the Philippines, has gusts of up to 250km/h (155mph) and is forecast to reach land on Saturday.

It is on course for the Eastern Samar province and the city of Tacloban, where thousands were killed by Typhoon Haiyan a year ago. 

Tens of thousands of people, many of whom still live in temporary shelters, are moving away from coastal areas.

Typhoon Hagupit (4 Dec 2014)
The typhoon is not as powerful as Haiyan but still presents a threat to life

Officials have warned the storm will bring heavy rain, storm surges and the risk of landslides.

Schools and government offices are closed and there were long queues at shops and petrol stations as people stocked up on supplies.

People wait for evacuation from San Jose village in Leyte, Philippines
Many people are still living in temporary accommodation after Typhoon Haiyan

Hagupit is not expected to be a powerful as Haiyan, but could bring storm surges up to one storey high.

Residents at shops in Tacloban, Philippines (3 Dec 2014)
Local people have been stocking up on supplies ahead of the storm's arrival

The Philippine weather authorities said that as of 04:00 local time (20:00 GMT Thursday) the storm was 500km (300 miles) east of Eastern Samar and moving at a speed of 13km/h. It has sustained winds of 215km/h and gusts of up to 250 km/h.

Meteorologists had said there was a chance Hagupit could veer north towards Japan and miss the Philippines altogether, but there is a growing consensus that this scenario is now unlikely.

The Philippines gives its own names to typhoons once they move into Philippine waters, rather than using the international storm -naming system.

Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Yolanda, was the most powerful typhoon ever recorded over land.

It tore though the central Philippines in November 2013, leaving more than 7,000 dead or missing.

This is my concern and why I posted this on my Child Abuse blog. After a natural disaster, children become very vulnerable to kidnapping. They can be snatched away by pedophiles who can do what they want with them, even kill them, and nobody would ever know.

Please pray for the children of the Philippines.