Signal No. 4 up over Batanes as Typhoon Julian intensifies

Signal No. 4 is now hoisted over Batanes as Typhoon Julian intensified on Sunday evening, PAGASA said.

In its 8 p.m. bulletin, the state weather bureau said the center of the eye of Julian (international name: Krathon) was last spotted 150 km east Southeast of Basco, Batanes.

It has a maximum sustained winds of 140 kph near the center, gustiness of up to 170 kph, and is moving northwestward at 15 kph.

State meteorologists said Signal No. 3 is hoisted over the Babuyan Islands.

Mainland Cagayan, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte are under Signal No. 2.

Meanwhile, the following areas are under Signal No. 1:

• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• Abra
• Kalinga
• Ifugao
• Mountain Province
• Benguet, Isabela
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• The northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler)

PAGASA said moderate to high risk of life threatening storm surge in the next 48 hours over the low-lying or exposed coastal localities of Batanes, Cagayan, and Ilocos Norte.

It added that Julian may bring strong to gale-force gusts over Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Romblon, and Bicol Region on Monday.

A gale warning is in effect over the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon.

Small vessels were warned of the risk of sea travel.

Based on the track forecast, Julian may make landfall, or pass very close over Batanes On Monday morning or afternoon.

“Julian is forecast to continue intensifying over the next 48 hours and may reach super typhoon category before making its landfall over southern Taiwan,” the state weather bureau said.

Julian is seen to move generally west northwestward to northwestward from Sunday through Tuesday morning towards the Batanes-Babuyan Islands area.

“On Tuesday afternoon, Julian will be sharply turning northward toward Taiwan, where it is forecast to make another landfall on Tuesday evening or Wednesday (2 October) morning,” PAGASA said. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BM, GMA Integrated News