Information about super typhoon Wilma has been posted on Facebook since November 25, in a 16-second video imitating the bulletin, with two people hosting a super typhoon Wilma warning program, with fierce power, making landfall in the Philippines.
This storm news video has the logo of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) inserted, creating the impression that this is an official video or Facebook page linked to PAGASA.
However, keywords on PAGASA's official social media channels do not currently show any announcement or warning about the existence of such a super typhoon.
As of the afternoon of November 29, PAGASA's latest tropical storm warning only said that storm No. 15 in the East Sea Koto (formerly Verbena) is active outside the Philippine Forecast Area (PAR).
In the weather bulletin released on November 28, PAGASA weather expert Benison Estareja also said, "In the next 6 days, there is a possibility of a low pressure area forming in the far east of Mindanao, possibly over the weekend".
The forecaster Estareja said that the low pressure area could move closer to land than early next week and could have been within the PAR on December 3 or 4 and affect eastern areas of the Bicol region, Eastern Visayas and the Caraga region.
"There is a moderate chance that this depression could develop into a tropical storm or reach tropical depression level when it enters the PAR," forecaster Estareja said, noting that PAGASA's forecast could still change for this system.
If it strengthens into a storm as it approaches the Philippines, it will be named Wilma. However, Estareja stressed that it is not advisable to believe widespread claims about the so-called "superstorm Wilma", asserting that "there is currently no authentic evidence" and calling the news about the superstorm fake news.
