A close-up satellite loop of super typhoon Yolanda. Courtesy of the Space Science & Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Super typhoon Yolanda breaks scientific intensity scale

MANILA - Metro Manila will be directly affected by the passage of super typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) in the Philippines, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) warned Thursday night.

Citing the Hawaii-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), NASA said in a report on the typhoon that the metropolis won't be spared by the typhoon, even if it is not on its direct path.

"According to [JTWC] forecast track, Manila is now expected to be impacted by the northeastern quadrant, the strongest side of the storm," NASA said.

Philippine state weather bureau PAGASA raised storm signal number 2 over Metro Manila Friday morning.

Twenty areas, meanwhile, were placed under storm signal number 4, the highest level in PAGASA's storm warning system.

NASA said it is providing visible, infrared and microwave satellite data to forecasters worldwide on the super typhoon.

The space agency quoted Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science in Miami, Fla. as saying that Yolanda attained "perfection" November 7 by reaching 8.0 on the Dvorak scale, the highest possible value.

Other meteorologists, meanwhile, said the super typhoon continued to intensify and broke the Dvorak scale used to gauge a cyclone's intensity.

As impossible as it seems, Super Typhoon #Haiyan continues to intensify -- raw T numbers of 8.1 which is above the scale which goes to 8.0 — Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) November 7, 2013

Real-time intensity rating for #YolandaPH now 8.1 on 8.0 scale. I've never seen that before. https://t.co/hhRqtxo4FH — Eric Holthaus (@EricHolthaus) November 7, 2013

The JTWC on Friday morning said Yolanda continued to intensify just before landfall. It is now packing maximum sustained winds of 315 kph (170 knots) and gusts reaching 380 kph (205 knots).

One NASA satellite captured cold temperatures and a thick band of thunderstorms around the center of the cyclone. "Those cold temperatures indicate very high, powerful thunderstorms with very heavy rain potential," NASA said.

Another NASA satellite showed that rain was falling at a rate of over 100mm/hr (~3.9 inches) around the cyclone's eye before its landfall.

Yolanda reached supertyphoon status comparable to a Category 5 cyclone in the Western hemisphere days before its landfall.

According to NASA, a Category 5 hurricane/typhoon will cause catastrophic damage.

"A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse. Fallen trees and power poles will isolate residential areas. Power outages will last for weeks to possibly months. Most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks or months," it warned.