Paolo now a tropical storm; 22 areas under Signal No. 1

Tropical cyclone Paolo has intensified with more than 20 areas placed under Signal No. 1, PAGASA said in its 5 a.m. Thursday bulletin.

Now a tropical storm, Paolo has maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 80 km/h, moving west northwestward at 20 km/h.

Under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 are the following areas:

• Mainland Cagayan 
• Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Apayao
• Abra
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur 
• La Union
• Pangasinan
• the northern portion of Zambales (Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz)
• Tarlac
• Nueva Ecija
• Aurora
• the northern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Miguel, San Ildefonso)
• the northern portion of Pampanga (Magalang, Arayat, Candaba, Mabalacat City)
• the northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar) including Polillo Islands
• the northern portion of Catanduanes (Pandan, Bagamanoc, Panganiban, Viga)

At 4 a.m., Paolo was located 705 km east of Infanta, Quezon. 

It is expected to further intensify before making landfall over Isabela or northern Aurora on Friday morning. 

"Further southward shift of track is possible depending on the strength of the high pressure area located north of Paolo. After crossing the landmass of Northern Luzon, it will emerge over the West Philippine Sea tomorrow afternoon and will continue moving west northwestward until it exits the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Saturday morning," PAGASA said.

In the next 24 hours, Paolo will bring rains with gusty winds over Catanduanes, Aurora, Quirino, and Isabela, while the tropical cyclone's trough will cause cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms over Metro Manila, the Cordillera Administrative Region, CALABARZON, the rest of Cagayan Valley, the rest of Bicol Region, Nueva Ecija, and Bulacan.

The rest of the country will expect localized thunderstorms.

Winds and coastal water conditions will be moderate in the northern and eastern sections of Luzon, while the rest of the Philippines will have light to moderate winds and seas.

Sunrise in Metro Manila will be at 5:46 a.m. —VBL, GMA Integrated News