Yolanda Update (Haiyan) -Haiyan is projected to intensify into a powerful 'Super Typhoon' over the next 48 to 60 hours as it moves toward the Philippines, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

Haiyan, the 13th typhoon formed during the Western Pacific season, is anticipated to reach the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Thursday morning and make landfall in Central Philippines (Samar-Leyte area) by Friday afternoon.

Joint Typhoon Warning Center, which is based in Guam, has already put Haiyan in a category of a Super Typhoon with a maximum wind speed of 241 Kph.

"Due to very favorable environmental conditions, rapid intensification is forecast over the next 48 hours with a peak intensity of 130 knots (241 kilometers per hour)," said a forecast by the Hawaii-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) via the Philippine Star.

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Cutting Through the Philippines

In an interview with Philippine Star, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration forecaster Rene Paciente indicated Typhoon Haiyan is moving westward at 25 kph and is expected to cut through Central Visayas and make an exit through Mindanao.

The storm is expected to deteriorate as it pushes through the Philippines islands, but Haiyan will still bring a maximum winds strength of 214 kph when it raches the South China Sea on Saturday.

"It will cut through Visayas and exit through Mindoro. If it maintains its westward track, it has a low chance of hitting Metro Manila. But it may also go west-northwest," JTWC stated in its press release.

"It will then weaken as it tracks across the Philippine islands but should emerge over the South China Sea at near 115 knot intensity (214 kph)," he added.

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Nothing To Stop It

American meteorologist Ryan Maue stated in his latest post on Twitter that Haiyan is rapidly intensifying as it on its way to reaching category 5+. Maue added the intensity of the Typhoon can get to as high as 160-knots, forecasting a huge disaster in the island country.

"But with Super Typhoon #Haiyan moving west to Philippines, all eyes on averting huge disaster. This one won't be a walk in the park," Maue tweeted on Tuesday.

Wunderground meteorologist Dr. Jeff Masters believed Yolanda is going to be the most dangerous typhoon since heavy rains brought by Tropical Depression Thirty (Wilma) left the soil saturated.

"Haiyan will likely be the most dangerous tropical cyclone to affect the Philippines this year," writes Wunderground meteorologist Jeff Masters via Washington Post. "This is particularly true since Tropical Depression Thirty dumped heavy rains over the central Philippines Monday, which helped saturate the soils."