Pagasa warns against complacency as Siony keeps its strength

MANILA, Philippines — Severe Tropical Storm Siony, internationally known as Atsani, managed to maintain its strength Wednesday night, prompting state meteorologists to advise people in Northern Luzon not to be complacent about the weather.

Siony was still generating maximum sustained winds of 95 kph near the center with a gustiness reaching up to 115 kph, according to the latest severe weather bulletin from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

It was last seen 670 km east of Basco, Batanes, a point at which it was expected to completes its turn to face the west.

Siony is expected to move westward and approach extreme Northern Luzon towards Batanes and Babuyan Islands, possibly making landfall between Thursday evening and Friday morning.

“Siony is still in a severe tropical storm category. So this means that the winds brought by the storm would be quite strong. Aside from the rains that it brings, the winds near the center would also be strong. So we cannot just set this aside,” weather specialist Loriedin dela Cruz said in Filipino.

“That’s why this early, we’re urging our countrymen to prepare and be careful, especially those in extreme Northern Luzon and other parts of the Northern Luzon.”

As of this writing, Pagasa has not ruled out the possibility of Siony making landfall, as a typhoon.

But at the moment, its cone of probability remains wide, though its probable track down south was no longer expected to touch the northern seaboards of Cagayan and Ilocos Norte.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 was raised over the following areas:

• Batanes

• the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga)

• the eastern portion of Babuyan Islands (Balintang Island, Babuyan Island, Didicas Island, and Camiguin Island, including the adjoining islets)

Strong winds may start to affect Cagayan Valley and Ilocos Norte as Siony and Tropical Storm Goni, formerly known as Rolly, combine to intensify the northeasterly surface wind flow.

Scattered light to moderate with at times heavy rain showers may prevail over Pangasinan and a huge part of Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, and portions of Visayas and Mindanao

Pagasa warned that flooding might still occur in areas with continuous rains as well landslides, especially areas where erosion would be probable due to significant rainfall from tropical cyclones Pepito, Quinta, and Rolly.

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