Jenny even stronger, Signal No. 1 in 7 areas

Typhoon Jenny steadily intensified while moving northwestward over the Philippine Sea, PAGASA said Monday.

According to PAGASA's 5 p.m. bulletin, the typhoon was 485 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes, moving northwestward at 15 kph.

Jenny had maximum sustained winds of 155 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 190 km/h.

Meanwhile, the state weather bureau raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 in the following areas due to Jenny:

• Batanes
• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Northern and eastern portion of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan, Santa Maria, San Pablo, Tumauini, Cabagan, Ilagan City, San Mariano, Santo Tomas, Dinapigue, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Gamu, Quirino, Delfin Albano, Quezon, Mallig),
• Apayao
• Northern and central portion of Ilocos Norte (Carasi, Vintar, Burgos, Dumalneg, Bangui, Pagudpud, Adams, Nueva Era, Pasuquin, Bacarra, Laoag City, San Nicolas, Sarrat, Piddig, Dingras, Solsona, Marcos)
• Northeastern portion of Abra (Tineg, Lacub, Malibcong)
• Northern portion of Kalinga (Balbalan, Pinukpuk, Rizal, City of Tabuk)

Heavy rain could thus be expected over Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and Isabela from Monday to Tuesday afternoon.

"Jenny will [also] continue to enhance the Southwest Monsoon and bring occasional to monsoon rains over the western portions of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in the next 3 days," PAGASA said.

It will bring gusty conditions for the next three days over these areas, which are not under any wind signal, especially in coastal and upland/mountainous areas exposed to winds.

Jenny was forecast to make landfall over the southern portion of Taiwan on Thursday morning, and then exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) over the Taiwan Strait by Thursday afternoon.

It may reach its peak intensity on Tuesday, while a slightly weakening trend may begin by late Wednesday due to a potential for dry air entrainment and increased wind shear before landfall over Taiwan, PAGASA added. — DVM, GMA Integrated News