Typhoon Bopha is responsible for at least 500 deaths in the
southern Philippines, and it may not be done inflicting damage
on the storm-ravaged country. Some track forecasts show it
reversing course, potentially affecting the northern Philippines
in about two days. Since Wednesday, the storm has dramatically
intensified over the South China Sea, with peak winds increasing
by 70 mph in the last 12 hours while the pressure dropped a
stunning 35 mb. It is now the equivalent of Category 3 hurricane
with peak winds of 125 mph which are predicted to strengthen to
about 145 mph today (category 4 equivalent), which is super
typhoon intensity. Satellite imagery reveals a dangerous storm,
with a well-defined pinhole eye surrounded by deep convection (a
fancy word for intense thunderstorms). Ominously, the storm may
come very close to northwestern Philippines and the island of
Luzon (the most populated) on its current track after drifting
north-northeast for the next 36 hours. How close it gets to land
is not known - it