PAGASA: Josie now a super typhoon as it passed PAR briefly

Weather disturbance Josie has developed into a super typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 185 kph near the center and gustiness of up 230 kph as it passed briefly through the Philippine Area of Responsiblity.

According to PAGASA's tropical cyclone bulletin issued at 11:45 p.m., Super Typhoon Josie unlikely to directly bring heavy rains in the country throughout the forecast period.

Josie entered the PAR at 5:40 p.m. and exited at 10:00 p.m. on Friday.

"However, the Southwest Monsoon that it enhanced may bring monsoon rains over Western Visayas and portions of the western section of Southern Luzon," PAGASA said.

"This tropical cyclone is forecast to continue tracking northwestward towards the northern portion of the Ryukyu Islands and the southern portion of mainland Japan," it added.

Josie reached super typhoon category at 8:00 PM today following a period of rapid intensification, making it the second super typhoon within the PAR region for this tropical cyclone season.

"It will likely continue intensifying in the near term due to highly favorable conditions," PAGASA said.

The center of the eye of Josie was estimated based on all available data at 1,375 kilometers east northeast of extreme Northern Luzon and outside the PAR.

It's moving northwestward at 15 kph. —NB, GMA News