Typhoon Aghon intensifies east of Aurora; 1 area under Signal No. 2

Typhoon Aghon (international name: Ewiniar) intensified as it continued to move north-northeast over part of northern Luzon, PAGASA said early Monday.

In its 2 a.m. tropical cyclone bulletin on Monday, the state weather bureau said that the center of the storm's eye was estimated to be 90 kilometers east-southeast of Baler, Aurora as of 1 a.m.

Furthermore, Aghon is moving north-northeast at 10 kmh with strong to typhoon-force winds extending outwards up to 220 km from the center. Intensity has been measured at maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 160 km/h.

Storm signals

Storm signal No. 2 has been hoisted over one area: 

• Aurora and the northern portion of Quezon (Infanta, General Nakar) including Polillo Islands

Earlier, Polillo Islands had been placed under signal no. 3.

Storm signal no. 1 is over the following areas:

• The eastern portion of Isabela (Divilacan, San Mariano, San Guillermo, Jones, Echague, San Agustin, Ilagan City, Benito Soliven, City of Cauayan, Maconacon, Angadanan, Naguilian, Palanan, Dinapigue),
• the eastern portion of Quirino (Maddela, Nagtipunan, Aglipay),
• the eastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castaneda, Dupax del Sur, Dupax del Norte),
• the eastern portion of Nueva Ecija (General Tinio, Gabaldon, Bongabon, Pantabangan, Rizal, General Mamerto Natividad, Laur, Palayan City, Peñaranda, San Leonardo, City of Gapan, Cabanatuan City, Santa Rosa, Llanera),
• Bulacan,
• Metro Manila,
• Rizal,
• Cavite,
• Laguna,
• the central portion of Quezon (Pitogo, Buenavista, Lucena City, Calauag, Pagbilao, Tiaong, Lopez, Guinayangan, Unisan, General Luna, Plaridel, Quezon, San Antonio, Alabat, Candelaria, Lucban, Sampaloc, Padre Burgos, Sariaya, City of Tayabas, Macalelon, Mauban, Dolores, Perez, Agdangan, Gumaca, Atimonan, Real, Tagkawayan),
• Camarines Norte, and
• the northwestern portion of Camarines Sur (Sipocot, Ragay, Del Gallego, Lupi, Siruma)  

Classes for Monday have been suspended in several areas due to Typhoon Aghon.

Gale warnings

A gale warning has been issued over the coastal waters of Aurora, Quezon, and Marinduque; the southern coastal waters of Batangas; and the northern coastal waters of Camarines Norte. "Sea travel is risky for small seacraft, including all motorbancas of any type of tonnage," PAGASA said.

Track

Typhoon Aghon is forecast to continue intensifying over the next two days. It is seen to move northeast over the Philippine Sea and may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday afternoon or evening, still as a typhoon.

Aghon intensified into a typhoon on Sunday night. — BM, GMA Integrated News