Betty has Signal No. 2 over Batanes, Signal No. 1 over 5 areas in north Luzon

Storm Signal Number 2 remains hoisted over Batanes as Typhoon Betty moved more slowly over the Philippine waters, PAGASA said Tuesday. 

In its 5 p.m. bulletin, the weather bureau said the center of the eye of the typhoon was last seen 315 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes. It is moving northward slowly while packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center, gustiness of up to 185 km/h, and central pressure of 955 hPa. 

Strong to typhoon-force winds extend outwards up to 630 km from the center, it added. 

Gale force winds with speeds of 62 to 88 km/h will be felt over the following areas where storm signal no. 2 was maintained:

• Batanes

Strong winds with speeds of 39 to 61 km/h, meanwhile, will be experienced in the following areas where Signal nO. 1 has been hoisted: 

• Northern and eastern portions of Isabela (Santo Tomas, Santa Maria, Quezon, San Mariano, Dinapigue, Delfin Albano, San Pablo, Ilagan City, Benito Soliven, Tumauini, Cabagan, Palanan, Quirino, Divilacan, Gamu, Maconacon, Naguilian, Mallig)
• Apayao,
• Eastern portion of Ilocos Norte (Piddig, Bangui, Vintar, Marcos, Pagudpud, Banna, Adams, Carasi, Dingras, Solsona, Dumalneg, Nueva Era)
• Northern portion of Kalinga (City of Tabuk, Balbalan, Pinukpuk, Rizal)
• Northeastern portion of Abra (Tineg, Lacub, Malibcong) and Cagayan including Babuyan Islands

According to PAGASA, heavy accumulated rainfall of up to 50 to 100 millimeters are expected in Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and the western portions of Abra and Benguet due to the typhoon. 

It warned that “under these conditions, flooding and rain-induced landslides are possible, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps and in localities that experienced considerable amounts of rainfall for the past several days”.

Meanwhile, the enhanced Southwest Monsoon and outer periphery of the typhoon circulation will bring occasional gusts in the next 24 hours over Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Aurora, Quezon, Mindoro Provinces, Marinduque, Romblon, Northern Samar, and the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region and Ilocos Norte.

Based on its forecast track, Betty is forecast to generally move slowly northward Tuesday until Wednesday over the waters east of Batanes. 

It will gradually accelerate north-northeastward on Thursday and northeastward on Friday, bringing its center over the waters southeast of the Ryukyu Islands. It may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility late Thursday or Friday early morning. 

Betty is expected to steadily weaken over the next five days due to cooler ocean waters. It may be downgraded into a severe tropical storm on late Thursday or early Friday and into a tropical storm on late Friday or early Saturday. However, given the extent of the effect of dry air intrusion on the typhoon, a faster weakening rate within the forecast period is not ruled out.