The government’s weather bureau PAGASA revised Wednesday its definition of a “super typhoon” and its system for alerting the public on the wind strength of tropical cyclones.
PAGASA or the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration also decommissioned the names of three destructive storms in 2021: Jolina, Maring, and Odette.
From 2025, they will be replaced with the names Jacinto, Mirasol, and Opong, respectively.
A super typhoon packs maximum sustained winds of at least 185 kilometers per hour, based on PAGASA’s revised definition.
Previously, PAGASA defined a super typhoon as a tropical cyclone with more than 220 kph maximum sustained winds.
The new definition is similar to the USA Joint Typhoon Warning Center’s super typhoon classification when converted to 10-minute averaging.
PAGASA introduced this category in 2015 to better reflect the potential dangers of super typhoons like Yolanda, the strongest storm to ever hit land, which left more than 7,360 people dead or missing across central Philippines in 2013.
The state weather bureau also amended its tropical cyclone wind signals, which now correspond to the following categories.
Tropical Depression
Less than 62 kilometers per hour maximum sustained winds Highest wind signal: 1
Tropical Storm
62-88 kph maximum sustained winds Highest wind signal: 2
Severe Tropical Storm
89-117 kph maximum sustained winds Highest wind signal: 3
Typhoon
118-184 kph maximum sustained winds Highest wind signal: 4
Super Typhoon
185 kph or higher maximum sustained winds Highest wind signal: 5