Severe Tropical Storm Paolo maintains strength over West PH Sea

Severe Tropical Storm Paolo maintained its strength while moving west northwestward over the West Philippine Sea, the state weather bureau PAGASA said on Friday evening. 

According to the 8 p.m. weather bulletin, the center of Paolo was monitored at 115 kilometers west northwest of Bacnotan, La Union. It has maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center, and gustiness of up to 135 kilometers per hour.

The severe tropical storm is also moving west northwestward at 35 kilometers per hour, said PAGASA. 

Meanwhile, Signal No. 3 was hoisted over the following: 

• the western portion of Ilocos Sur (San Vicente, Santa Catalina, City of Vigan, Caoayan, Santa, Narvacan, Santa Maria, San Esteban, Santiago, City of Candon, Santa Lucia, Santa Cruz, Tagudin)
•  the northwestern portion of La Union (Luna, Bangar, Balaoan, Bacnotan, San Juan, City of San Fernando)

The areas below are under Signal No. 2: 

• the southern portion of Ilocos Norte (Nueva Era, Badoc, Pinili, City of Batac, Paoay, Currimao, Banna, Laoag City, San Nicolas, Sarrat, Dingras, Solsona, Marcos, Bacarra, Piddig)
• the rest of Ilocos Sur
• the rest of La Union
• the northern portion of Pangasinan ( Basista, Lingayen, Villasis, City of Alaminos, Anda, Malasiqui, San Fabian, Mangaldan, Mapandan, Burgos, Dagupan City, Binalonan, Bolinao, Aguilar, San Manuel, Sual, Asingan, Labrador, Bani, Pozorrubio, City of Urdaneta, Laoac, Mabini, San Carlos City, Manaoag, Binmaley, San Jacinto, Bugallon, Infanta, Agno, Calasiao, Santa Barbara, Dasol, Sison, San Nicolas)
• Abra
• the western portion of Kalinga (Tinglayan, Balbalan, Lubuagan, Pasil)
• the western portion of Mountain Province (Besao, Tadian, Sagada, Bauko, Sadanga, Bontoc, Sabangan)
• the western portion of Ifugao (Hungduan, Tinoc)
• Benguet
• the western portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kayapa, Santa Fe)

Signal No. 1 was raised in the following areas: 

• the rest of Ilocos Norte
• the rest of Pangasinan
• Apayao
• the rest of Kalinga
• the rest of Mountain Province
• the rest of Ifugao
• the southern portion of Batanes (Mahatao, Uyugan, Basco, Ivana, Sabtang)
• mainland Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Isabela
• Quirino
• the rest of Nueva Vizcaya
• Zambales
• Tarlac
•  Pampanga
• Nueva Ecija
• Bulacan
• Aurora
• the northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta) including Polillo Islands

PAGASA said that Paolo is forecast to move generally west northwestward and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday morning, October 4.

But the state weather bureau said that Paolo may re-intensify into a typhoon within the next 12 hours. —LDF, GMA Integrated News