However, in the span of six hours that same day, Sally undergone rapid intensification, intensifying from a minimal tropical storm into a typhoon.

On February 28, a tropical depression with a minimum pressure of 1,006 hPa (29.7 inHg) formed northeast of Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.

[5][4] Further intensification occurred, and on 00:00 UTC on March 2, Sally peaked with sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 980 hPa (29 inHg).

[4] Around that time, as Sally recurved to the west,[4] it crossed into the Philippine Area of Responsibility, causing PAGASA to name it Bebeng.

[3] Soon after, Sally weakened into a tropical storm, making landfall just north of Mindanao 06:00 UTC on March 3 with sustained winds of 70 mph (110 km/h).

[2] Most power lines and water systems were destroyed or shut down due to the typhoon's winds, which leveled most native homes and government facilities, with some buildings suffering 80 percent destruction.

[2] The island of Koror, which was around 180 nautical miles (330 km) east of the typhoon, suffered the brunt of Sally, being lashed by hurricane-force gusts which reached 85 mph (140 km/h).

[7] In the Philippines, Sally, the first March typhoon since 1948 to make landfall in the nation, caused one death and "considerable damage" to property, with Surigao receiving peak winds of 75 mph (120 km/h).