Rappler's latest storm report said that, according to a Facebook post, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecast that a tropical storm larger than the Philippines will form in the Philippine Forecast Area (PAR) next week, the second week of September. Rappler emphasized that this information is false.
The Philippine news agency noted that a Facebook post about a super typhoon approaching the South China Sea had 631 shares, 251 interactions, and 38 comments. The post was posted by the “ Philippine Weather Alert ” account, which has 17,000 followers and 4,400 likes.
The post said that a tropical storm larger than the Philippine territory is expected to form in the Philippine forecast area in the second week of September. The post also stated that PAGASA is monitoring two storms that have the potential to strengthen into super typhoons.
Explaining why the above information is false, Rappler pointed out that although PAGASA's recent storm forecast mentioned the possibility of a low pressure system near the East Sea entering the Philippine forecast area in the next 2 weeks, there is no system that is likely to be larger than Philippine territory. The storm level and expected intensity of these storms are also not yet determined.
According to PAGASA’s tropical depression forecast for September 6, two low pressure areas near the South China Sea may form during the week of September 6 to 12. One low pressure area near the South China Sea may form north of the Philippine forecast area, while the other low pressure area may form outside the Philippine forecast area. Both low pressure areas have a high chance of strengthening into tropical storms.
During the week of September 13-19, a low pressure area forming outside the forecast area is forecast to enter the Philippines and strengthen into a storm. Also during this week, a third low pressure area near the East Sea may form near the northwest of Luzon, with the possibility of strengthening into a storm.
PAGASA did not state in any of its storm or tropical depression forecasts that a super typhoon was expected near the East Sea in the next two weeks.
Typhoon No. 3 Yagi (local name Enteng), which left the Philippine forecast area on September 4, is the closest super typhoon tracked by PAGASA.
However, while inside the Philippine forecast area, Super Typhoon Yagi was only a strong tropical storm. This storm in the South China Sea strengthened into a typhoon and a super typhoon when it entered the South China Sea, outside the Philippine forecast area.
The post warning of a super typhoon approaching the East Sea also has a link claiming to be a list of areas affected by the super typhoon.
However, when scanned on the affiliate link checker website WhereGoes, the link warning of a super typhoon near the East Sea leads to an online shopping platform, not PAGASA's typhoon forecast bulletin.
Similarly, a VirusTotal scan of the link in the post warning of a super typhoon was flagged as malicious. Certego and Criminal IP also detected potential phishing threats in the link warning of a super typhoon near the East Sea. Accessing such links puts users at risk of having their information stolen.
