Julian slightly intensifies as more areas placed under Signal No. 1

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 has been raised in several areas as Tropical Storm Julian slightly intensifies while moving over the Philippine Sea - East of Cagayan, PAGASA said Saturday. 

Areas under Signal No. 1 are: 

• Batanes
• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Isabela
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• Eastern portion of Mountain Province (Natonin, Paracelis)
• Eastern portion of Ifugao (Aguinaldo, Alfonso Lista)
• Ilocos Norte
• Abra
• Northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran)

"The wind signals warn the public of the general wind threat over an area due to the tropical cyclone. Local winds may be slightly stronger/enhanced in coastal and upland/mountainous areas exposed to winds," said PAGASA.

PAGASA noted that minimal to minor impacts from strong winds are possible within any of the areas under Wind Signal No. 1.

Meanwhile, the highest Wind Signal that may be hoisted during the occurrence of Julian is Wind Signal No. 4.

A Gale Warning may be hoisted over the seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands tonight.

Location

As of 4 p.m., the state weather bureau said the center of Tropical Storm Julian was located at 380 km East of Aparri, Cagayan (18.6°N, 125.2°E). 

It is moving west northwestward at 15 km/h and has maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 90 km/h, and central pressure of 996 hPa.

Strong to gale-force winds extend outwards up to 420 km from the center. 

Julian is forecast to move west southwestward or westward on Saturday until Sunday afternoon, and it will generally northwestward until Tuesday. 

"On the track forecast, a landfall or close approach scenario on Monday through Tuesday early morning over Batanes and/or Babuyan Islands is highly likely," it said. 

However, Julian will continue to intensify throughout the forecast period and reach typhoon category on Monday, PAGASA reported.

—Sherylin Untalan/ VAL, GMA Integrated News