Batanes, Babuyan Islands still under Signal No. 2 as Siony moves westward

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 is still raised over Batanes and Babuyan Islands as Severe Tropical Storm Siony continues to move westward towards Luzon Strait, PAGASA said Thursday afternoon.

In its 2 p.m. severe weather bulletin, the weather agency said the following areas, meanwhile, are under TCWS No. 1:

• The northern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Lal-Lo, Allacapan, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Camalaniugan, Aparri, Ballesteros, Abulug, Pamplona, Sanchez-Mira, Claveria, Santa Praxedes)
• the northern portion of Apayao (Santa Marcela, Luna, Calanasan)
• the northern portion of Ilocos Norte (Adams, Pagudpud, Bangui, Dumalneg, Burgos, Vintar, Pasuquin, Bacarra)

PAGASA said the center of Siony was located 360 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes at 1 p.m. with maximum sustained winds of 95 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph. It is moving westward at 25 kph.

PAGASA said Siony will continue to move westward or west-northwestward in the next 48 hours. It said Siony will likely make landfall or make close approach in the vicinity of Batanes or Babuyan Islands on Friday morning.

PAGASA said Siony is forecasted to reach typhoon category with a peak intensity of 120 kph by Friday morning as it passes near or over the Batanes-Babuyan Islands area.

Siony is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Friday afternoon or evening.

Hazards

PAGASA said strong breeze to near gale conditions due to the prevailing northeasterlies will prevail over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, the northern portion of Ilocos Norte, and the northern and eastern coastal areas of mainland Cagayan until the arrival of tropical cyclone winds.

PAGASA said the earliest onset of strong breeze to near gale conditions associated with Siony over the areas under TCWS will be from Thursday night to Friday morning.

Meanwhile, damaging gale to storm-force winds will begin to affect areas under TCWS No. 2 on Friday morning.

Based on the intensity outlook for Siony, TCWS No. 3 remains to be the highest wind signal to be hoisted during the passage, PAGASA added.

In the next 24 hours, PAGASA said the trough of Siony will bring scattered to light to moderate, with at times, heavy rain showers over Pangasinan and most parts of Central Luzon, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Visayas and Mindanao. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/KBK, GMA News