for a more recent update on Typhoon Lupit, CLICK HERE

The Philippines is still reeling from the effects of two tropical cyclones in as many weeks. Over 710 have been reported dead so far from the storms and the economy of the country has been severely affected. Yesterday, I posted the comments of Philippines President Gloria Arroyo that her country was a victim of climate change, not two typhoons, and was therefore entitled for compensation from the culprits, which presumably is the industrialized world. Well, the president and the rest of the country may have bigger fish to fry in the near term. They need to prepare for Typhoon Lupin. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center Typhoon Lupin Forecast Track takes the storm very near to the same landfall location as Typhoon Parma. From the forecast, one can ascertain that, unlike Parma or Ketsana before, Lupin will be on the upswing of its lifecycle, meaning that instead of a typhoon that has seen its better days, this one is forecast to be an intensifying tropical cyclone when it makes landfall. Two things. The landfall time is still several days away so the forecast is not a sure thing and any deviation of the track over the next 48 hours or so could greatly impact the eventual effect on the Philippines. Second is that the trend of the forecast was a little farther south than the current thinking. But, again, the alteration has not been that significant and any impact on the Philippines will be something for the locals to contend with considering the devastation that has occurred and the saturation of mountainous regions in the northern part of the country.