Signal No. 1 up in Northern Catanduanes as Paolo slightly intensifies

Signal No. 1 has been raised in the northern portion of Catanduanes as Tropical Depression Paolo slightly intensified, PAGASA said Wednesday afternoon.

Signal No. 1

• The northern portion of Catanduanes (Pandan, Bagamanoc, Panganiban, Viga)

Paolo was last spotted 665 km East of Virac, Catanduanes, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h near the center and gusts of up to 70 km/h. It is moving westward at 25 km/h.

The state weather bureau said Signal No. 3 is likely to be the highest wind signal to be raised during Paolo’s passage.

“However, since the possibility of reaching typhoon category before landfall is not ruled out, the worst case scenario is Wind Signal No. 4,” it said.

 

PAGASA added that Paolo will continue to intensify over the Philippine Sea and may reach severe tropical storm category by early Friday.

“Further intensification into a Typhoon prior to landfall is not ruled out. Re-intensification is highly likely once PAOLO emerges over the West Philippine Sea,” state meteorologists said.

It added that a moderate to high risk of life-threatening storm surge with peak heights reaching 1.0 to 2.0 m over the low-lying or exposed coastal localities of Cagayan, Isabela, and Aurora is expected to occur within 48 hours.

Meanwhile, a gale warning may be raised over the seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon as early as Thursday afternoon in anticipation of rough to very rough sea conditions caused by Paolo’s passage.

The storm is forecasted to make landfall in Isabela or northern Aurora on Friday morning or afternoon.

“Paolo is forecast to move generally westward to west northwestward for the entire forecast period,” PAGASA said.

“Further southward shift of track is possible depending on the strength of the high pressure area to the north of Paolo,” it added.

The storm is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Saturday morning. —VAL, GMA Integrated News