Signal No. 2 up in Batanes, portions of Cagayan — PAGASA

Storm signal number 2 remains hoisted over Batanes and portions of Cagayan province as Typhoon Betty continues to slow down, PAGASA said Monday.

In its 5 p.m. bulletin, the state weather bureau said the center of the eye of Betty was last seen at 445 kilometers east of Calayan, Cagayan as of 4 p.m. It  decelerated to 10 kilometers per hour (kph) while moving north northwestward and is packing maximum sustained winds of 155 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 190 km/h, and central pressure of 950 hPa.

Strong to typhoon-force winds extend outwards up to 770 km from its center, PAGASA added.

Storm Signal Number 2 is up over the following areas:

•     Batanes
•     Northeastern portion of Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga) including Babuyan Islands

Storm Signal Number 1 is hoisted in the following areas:

•     The rest of mainland Cagayan
•     Isabela
•     Apayao
•     Ilocos Norte
•     Abra
•     Kalinga
•     Mountain Province
•     Ifugao
•     Northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Baler), Quirino, the northeastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kasibu, Quezon, Solano, Bagabag, Diadi, Villaverde, Bayombong, Ambaguio)
•     Northern portion of Catanduanes (Caramoran, Viga, Gigmoto, Panganiban, Bagamanoc, Pandan)
•     Northeastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Garchitorena, Lagonoy, Tinambac, Siruma)
•     Pollilo Islands
•     Northern portion of Camarines Norte (Vinzons, Paracale, Jose Panganiban, Capalonga, Talisay, Daet, Mercedes, Basud)
•     Northern and central portions of Ilocos Sur (Gregorio del Pilar, Magsingal, San Esteban, Banayoyo, Cervantes, Burgos, Santiago, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Lidlidda, Nagbukel, Sinait, Sigay, San Ildefonso, Galimuyod, Quirino, City of Vigan, San Emilio, Cabugao, Caoayan, San Juan, Santa, Bantay, Santo Domingo, Santa Maria, Narvacan, Salcedo, City of Candon)

According to PAGASA, the typhoon is expected to bring 50 to 100 millimeters of accumulated rainfall over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, northern portion of Ilocos Sur, northern portion of Apayao, and the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan.

It is likewise forecast to trigger 100-200 mm of accumulated rains in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Abra, Benguet, Batanes, and the eastern portion of Babuyan Islands.

“Under these conditions, flooding and rain-induced landslides are likely, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazard as identified in hazard maps and in localities that experienced considerable amounts of rainfall for the past several days,” PAGASA said.

Betty is also seen to enhance the southwest monsoon, causing occasional to monsoon rains over the western portions of Southern Luzon and Visayas.

Meanwhile, a marine gale warning will also remain in effect over the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon, eastern seaboards of Central Luzon, the eastern and southern seaboards of Southern Luzon, the eastern and western seaboards of Visayas, and the eastern seaboard of Mindanao due to the effects of the tropical cyclone.

Betty to exit PAR by Friday

Based on its forecast track, PAGASA said Betty will move generally northwestward slowly on Monday and may become slow-moving or almost stationary over the waters east of Batanes on Tuesday to Wednesday before turning north northeastward or northeastward on late Wednesday or Thursday.

It may gradually accelerate towards the waters east of Taiwan and the southern portion of Ryukyu Islands and may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday.

Further, PAGASA said the tropical cyclone is forecast to steadily weaken over the next five days due to cooler ocean waters and dry air intrusion. It may be downgraded into a severe tropical storm on late Thursday or early Friday and into a tropical storm on late Friday or early Saturday.—Sundy Locus/AOL, GMA Integrated News