Siony slighty intensifies moving towards Luzon Strait; Signal No. 2 remains over Batanes, Babuyan Islands

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 remained hoisted over Batanes and Babuyan Islands as Severe Tropical Storm Siony slightly intensified while moving closer to the direction of Luzon Strait, PAGASA said Thursday.

In its 5 p.m. severe weather bulletin, PAGASA said the center of Siony was located 340 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes at 4 p.m. with maximum sustained winds of 100 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 125 kph. It is moving westward at 20 kph.

The weather agency warned affected residents of possible flash floods or landslides due to moderate to heavy rains. There is also a possible light to moderate damage to structure and vegetation.

TCWS No.1, meanwhile, is still raised over the following areas:

• The northern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Lal-Lo, Allacapan, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Camalaniugan, Aparri, Ballesteros, Abulug, Pamplona, Sanchez-Mira, Claveria, Santa Praxedes)
• The northern portion of Apayao (Santa Marcela, Luna, Calanasan)
• The northern portion of Ilocos Norte (Adams, Pagudpud, Bangui, Dumalneg, Burgos, Vintar, Pasuquin, Bacarra)

PAGASA said Siony will continue to move westward or west-northwestward in the next 24 hours. It is likely to make landfall or closely approach the vicinity of Batanes or Babuyan Islands on Friday morning.

Siony is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Friday afternoon or evening.

PAGASA added Siony is forecasted to reach typhoon category with a peak intensity of 120 kph by Friday morning as it passes near or over the Batanes-Babuyan Islands area.

Hazards

PAGASA said strong breeze to near gale conditions due to the prevailing northeasterlies will continue over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, the northern portion of Ilocos Norte and the northern and eastern coastal areas of mainland Cagayan until the arrival of tropical cyclone winds.

It said the earliest onset of strong breeze to near gale conditions associated with Siony over the areas under TCWS will be from Thursday night to Friday morning.

Meanwhile, damaging gale to storm-force winds will begin to affect areas under TCWS No. 2 on Friday morning.

Based on the intensity outlook for Siony, TCWS No. 3 remains to be the highest wind signal to be hoisted during the passage, PAGASA added.

On Friday, PAGASA said the trough of Siony and the intertropical convergence zone will bring scattered light to moderate, with at times, heavy rain showers over most parts of Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Visayas and Mindanao.

Moderate to heavy rains due to Siony will begin affecting Batanes and Babuyan Islands on Friday morning, it added.

A storm surge of 1.0 to 2.0 meters, meanwhile, might be experienced over the coastal areas of Batanes and Babuyan Islands in the next 24 hours.

Moreover, in the next 24 hours, PAGASA said the coastal waters of areas under TCWS will have rough to high seas (3.0 to 8.0 m), while areas under gale warning will experience rough to very rough seas (3.0 to 5.5 m).

Moderate to rough seas (1.5 to 2.5 m) will also prevail over the western seaboard of Central Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao.

“Mariners of small seacrafts are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions,” PAGASA said.

Further, the weather bureau also spotted a low pressure area located 1,770 km east of Visayas. It might enter PAR on Friday afternoon or evening.

PAGASA said the LPA is likely to develop into a tropical depression in the next 48 hours.—Joahna Lei Casilao/Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF,GMA News