Verbena intensifies into severe tropical storm

Tropical Cyclone Verbena has intensified into a severe tropical storm, according to state weather bureau PAGASA on Wednesday morning. 

“As of 8:00 a.m. today, Tropical Storm ‘Verbena’ (11b) (international name ‘KOTO’) has intensified into a Severe Tropical Storm and is being monitored inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR),” PAGASA said in an update.

“All are advised to monitor updates from DOST-PAGASA,” it added. 

Verbena was last spotted 295 kilometers west of Coron, Palawan, packing winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of 115 kph.

The severe tropical storm was moving westward at 35 kph.

In its 5 am weather advisory, PAGASA said Signal No. 2 is still up over Calamian Islands and extreme northern portion of mainland Palawan (El Nido, Taytay).

Signal No. 1 is hoisted over Occidental Mindoro and the northern and central portions of Palawan (Dumaran, Roxas, San Vicente, Puerto Princesa City) including Cuyo and Kalayaan Islands. 

On the forecast track, Verbena will continue moving west northwestward over the West Philippine Sea before moving westward and passing north of Kalayaan Islands in the afternoon and evening.

It will then exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility Thursday morning, and turn west southwestward from Thursday until Friday morning. Afterwards, Verbena will begin moving northwestward, then north northwestward over the sea east of Vietnam for the remainder of the forecast period. —VAL, GMA Integrated News