Signal No. 3 up as 'Emong' intensifies into severe tropical storm

MANILA, Philippines, July 24 ------ Severe Tropical Storm Emong strengthened, while barreling toward Northern Luzon, prompting PAGASA to place two areas under Signal No. 3 as the storm is forecast to make landfall tonight or early Friday.

PAGASA's 5 a.m. advisory raised tropical cyclone wind signal No. 3 for the northern portion of Pangasinan and the western part of La Union, warning residents of storm-force winds reaching up to 117 kilometers per hour within 18 hours. As of 4 a.m., Severe Tropical Storm Emong was located 245 km west of Bacnotan, La Union, moving southwestward at 25 km per hour. It packs maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 135 km per hour.

PAGASA warned that Emong could further intensify into a typhoon before making landfall over the Ilocos Region tonight or tomorrow early morning. The storm may pass close to Pangasinan this afternoon. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Dante maintained its strength while moving north northwestward at 15 km per hour toward the Ryukyu Islands. PAGASA did not raise wind signals for Dante but warned it would bring strong to gale-force winds that extend outwards up to 550 km. Last spotted 790 km east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, Dante is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility this afternoon or evening.

Wind signals

Here are the complete wind signals that PAGASA has raised for Emong:

Signal No. 3

- Northern portion of Pangasinan (Anda, Bolinao, Bani)

- Western portion of La Union (Luna, Balaoan, Bacnotan, San Juan, City of San Fernando, Bauang, Caba)

Areas under Signal No. 3 face storm-force winds of 89 to 117 km/h within 18 hours, posing moderate to significant threat to life and property.

Signal No. 2

- Ilocos Norte

- Ilocos Sur

- Rest of La Union

- Western portion of Apayao (Conner, Kabugao, Calanasan)

- Abra

- Kalinga

- Mountain Province

- Ifugao

- Benguet

- 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)

- Western portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kayapa, Santa Fe)

Areas under Signal No. 2 face gale-force winds of 62 to 88 km/h within 24 hours, posing minor to moderate threat to life and property.

Signal No. 1

- Batanes

- Cagayan including Babuyan Islands

- Western and central portions of Isabela

- The rest of Nueva Vizcaya

- Quirino

- The rest of Apayao

- The rest of Pangasinan

- Northern and central portions of Zambales

- Tarlac

- Western and central portions of Nueva Ecija.

PAGASA said the highest wind signal that may be hoisted during Emong's track is Signal No. 4. The weather bureau warned of life-threatening storm surge with peak heights of 1.0 to 2.0 meters within 48 hours over low-lying or exposed coastal areas of Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, and Zambales.

A gale warning remains in effect over the western seaboards of Luzon, with wave heights reaching up to 14 meters along the western seaboards of Ilocos Sur and La Union, and up to 11 meters over the seaboards of Pangasinan. "Sea travel is risky all types or tonnage of vessels. All mariners must remain in port or, if underway, seek shelter or safe harbor as soon as possible until winds and waves subside," PAGASA said.

Heavy rainfall warning

Filipinos are bound to experience another damp Thursday due to Emong and the enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat), according to PAGASA's heavy rainfall outlook.

Areas expecting intense to torrential rains (more than 200 millimeters of rainfall) today include Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, and Benguet due to Emong, while Bataan and Occidental Mindoro face similar amounts due to the southwest monsoon. Meanwhile, Metro Manila and surrounding provinces, including Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, and Rizal are forecast to receive heavy to intense rain or 100-200 millimeters of rainfall today due to the enhanced monsoon.

Both Emong and Dante continue to enhance the southwest monsoon as of early Thursday morning, bringing strong to gale-force gusts over Metro Manila, the rest of Central Luzon, CALABARZON, Bicol Region, MIMAROPA, Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, and Davao Oriental.

Source: philstar.com