Typhoon Gorio continues to intensify; maintains course

Typhoon Gorio (international name Nesat) intensified further overnight, even as it maintained its speed and direction, weather service PAGASA reported in a Saturday morning forecast.

At 4 a.m., Gorio was 200 kilometers northeast of Basco, Batanes, with maximum sustained winds of  145 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 180 kph. Estimated rainfall amount within the typhoon's 500 kms diameter was from moderate to heavy.

Gorio was moving northwest at 17 kph.

Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 2 remained raised over the Batanes Islands, where storm conditions can and a meter high storm surge may be experienced, and where open sea wave heights will be from 4.1 to 14 meters high.

Signal 1 was still also up over the Babuyan Islands, where rain and gusty winds can be expected, and where open sea wave heights would be from 1.25 to four meters high.

And along with Typhoon Gorio, a tropical depression 560 kms west of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, would also be affecting the country the country on Saturday.

Both weather systems were expected to enhance the southwest monsoon, which could bring flashfloods and landslides over Metro Manila, and over the Ilocos, Cordillera, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Mimaropa Regions.

Cloudy conditions with light to moderate rain and thunderstorms will meanwhile be experienced over the rest of Luzon, and partly cloudy to cloudy conditions with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorm will prevail over the rest of the country.

Winds will be moderate to strong from the southwest over Luzon, where coastal waters  areas will be moderate to rough.

Winds elsewhere will be moderate to occasionally strong from the southwest with moderate to occasionally rough seas.

Meanwhile, PAGASA projected that Typhoon Gorio would be 465 kms north-northwest of Basco, Batanes and outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Sunday Morning.

— DVM, GMA News