Super typhoon Rolly to hit Luzon this weekend

Typhoon Rolly (international name Goni) has intensified and is expected to slam into Luzon this weekend.

Rolly reached super typhoon status on Friday, according to the United States Navy - United States Air Force Joint Typhoon Warning Center's (JTWC).

The Japan Meteorological Agency has classified Rolly as a 'violent typhoon', the highest in its classification.

Based on JTWC's one-minute average readings, Rolly is packing maximum sustained winds of 277.8 kilometers per hour and gusts reaching 333.36 kph, making it the strongest typhoon in the world so far this year.

To compare, super typhoon Yolanda recorded 315 kph maximum sustained winds on 1-minute average readings just before landfall in 2013.

PAGASA forecasts Rolly to likely make landfall over the Aurora-Quezon area on Sunday night or Monday morning.

The typhoon is expected to weaken as it approaches the Philippine landmass and undergo an eyewall replacement cycle, according to JTWC.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 has been raised over Catanduanes.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains will be experienced over Bicol, Eastern and Central Visayas, Caraga, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, Batanes, Cagayan, and Isabela.

Rough to very rough seas will be experienced over the seaboards of Catanduanes and Northern Luzon, the eastern seaboards of Central Luzon and Quezon, including the Polillo Islands, and the northern seaboards of the Camarines provinces.