Julian intensifies slightly, to reach ‘peak intensity’ by Monday

Severe Tropical Storm Julian (international name Maysak) intensified slightly as it made its way northwestward over the Philippine Sea, PAGASA said Saturday.

In its 11 p.m. severe weather bulletin, the weather service predicted that Julian would intensify into a typhoon by Sunday morning and may reach “peak intensity” by Monday.

PAGASA did not expect to issue any Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal throughout the forecast period as  Julian was unlikely to directly cause high impact weather over the country.

However, the southwest monsoon was expected to bring moderate to rough seas over the seaboards of northern Luzon, the eastern seaboard of Central and Southern Luzon, and the seaboards of Northern and Eastern Samar.

Small sea-craft sailing over these waters were advised to take precautionary measures.

At 10 p.m. on Saturday, Julian was 740 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora with maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 135 kph.

Julian was forecast to gradually accelerate generally northward until Sunday before turning northwestward on Monday.

It was forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Monday morning. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News