Emong maintains strength, Signal no. 3 up in Pangasinan, La Union

Severe Tropical Storm Emong maintained its strength on Thursday morning as Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 was raised over two areas, according to the latest bulletin from PAGASA.

In an 8 a.m. bulletin, the state weather bureau placed the following areas are under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals:

Signal No. 3:

• The northern portion of Pangasinan (Anda, Bolinao, Bani)
• The western portion of La Union (Luna, Balaoan, Bacnotan, San Juan, City of San Fernando, Bauang, Caba, Bangar)

Signal No.2

• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• The rest of La Union
• Apayao 
• Abra
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• The central portion of Pangasinan (Agno, Burgos, Mabini, City of Alaminos, Sual, Labrador, Bugallon, Infanta, Dasol, Lingayen, Binmaley, Dagupan City, Calasiao, Santa Barbara, Mangaldan, Mapandan, Manaoag, Laoac, Binalonan, San Manuel, San Nicolas, Pozorrubio, Sison, San Fabian, San Jacinto)
• The northwestern and western portions of mainland Cagayan (Rizal, Santa Praxedes, Claveria)
• The western portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kayapa, Santa Fe)

Signal No.1

• Batanes
• The rest of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• The western and central portions of Isabela (Santo Tomas, Delfin Albano, Quezon, Mallig, Quirino, Roxas, San Manuel, Aurora, San Mateo, Ramon, Cordon, Burgos, Cabatuan, Cabagan, San Pablo, Santa Maria, Tumauini, Gamu, Luna, Maconacon, Alicia, San Mariano, Naguilian, San Guillermo, City of Cauayan, Echague, Ilagan City, Angadanan, Benito Soliven, City of Santiago, Reina Mercedes, San Agustin, Divilacan, San Isidro, Jones)
• The rest of Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• The rest of Pangasinan
• The northern and central portions of Zambales (Santa Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig, Iba, Botolan, Cabangan)
• Tarlac
• The western and central portions of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Lupao, Talugtug, Cuyapo, Nampicuan, Guimba, Science City of Muñoz, San Jose City, Pantabangan, Rizal, Llanera, Talavera, Santo Domingo, Quezon, Licab, Aliaga, Zaragoza, San Antonio, Jaen, Cabanatuan City, Santa Rosa, General Mamerto Natividad, Palayan City, Bongabon, Laur)

According to PAGASA, Emong may intensify into a typhoon before making a possible landfall over Ilocos Region on Thursday evening or Friday morning.

Emong was last spotted 245 kilometers west northwest of Bacnotan, La Union with maximum sustained winds of 110 km per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 135 kph.

The tropical cyclone was moving south southwestward at 15 kph.

“On the forecast track, EMONG may pass close to Pangasinan this afternoon and may make landfall over Ilocos Region tonight or tomorrow early morning. After traversing Northern Luzon, the center of EMONG will re-emerge over the Luzon Strait and may pass close to Babuyan Islands,” PAGASA said.

“EMONG may intensify into typhoon prior to its landfall,” it added.

PAGASA's next tropical cyclone bulletin will be issued at 11:00 AM. —VAL, Integrated News