Goring now a super typhoon, storm signals up over 19 areas in Luzon — Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Goring (international name: Saola) reached super typhoon status and on Sunday morning and placed 19 areas in Luzon under tropical cyclone wind signals, the state weather agency said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), in its early morning update, said the eye of Super Typhoon Goring was tracked over the waters of Palanan, Isabela.

It packs maximum winds of 185 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of 230 kph while moving slowly south-southwest.

“Unti-unting na pong kumikilos pa timog timog-kanluran itong bagyo at inaasahan natin na ngayong araw hanggang bukas ng madaling-araw ay magbabago na ito ng direksyon, mula sa south-southwest, kikilos na ito pa-east at eventually magno-northeast na itong bayong ito,” Pagasa weather specialist Obet Badrina said.

(The super typhoon is moving south-southwestward slowly and we expect that today or early morning tomorrow it will change direction, from south-southwest to east and eventually to the northeast.)

Goring, Pagasa said, is forecast to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) by Thursday or Friday.

Areas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3

-Extreme eastern portion of Isabela (Divilacan, Palanan)

Areas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2

-Eastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Peñablanca, Baggao, Gattaran, Lal-lo, Gonzaga, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Santa Ana)
-Eastern portion of Isabela (Dinapigue, San Mariano, Ilagan City, Maconacon, Cabagan, Tumauini, San Pablo, Benito Soliven)
-extreme northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran)

Areas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1

-rest of mainland Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
-Northern and central portions of Aurora (Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Baler, Maria Aurora, San Luis)
-Quirino
-rest of Isabela
-Apayao
-Nueva Vizcaya
-Ifugao
-Mountain Province
-Kalinga
-Abra
-Eastern portion of Ilocos Norte (Pagudpud, Adams, Vintar, Carasi, Nueva Era, Banna, Marcos, Dingras, Solsona, Piddig, Dumalneg, Bangui)
-Benguet (Bokod, Buguias, Kabayan, Mankayan)
-Northeastern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Pantabangan, Bongalbon, Gabaldon, Laur, Rizal)
-Polillo Islands
-Calaguas Islands

Wet, cloudy Sunday

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon or “habagat” will bring cloudy skies and rain to many parts of Luzon, as well as western Visayas on Sunday.

“Patuloy na umiiral partikular sa bahagi ng Luzon, ng kanlurang Visayas, itong southwest monsoon kaya in general inaasahan natin ngayong araw, malaking bahagi ng Luzon at Western Visayas ang makararanas ng maulap na kalangitan na may pag-ulan,” Badrina said.

(The southwest monsoon continues to affect parts of Luzon and Western Visayas, and in general, we expect cloudy skies and rain.)

LPA alert!

A low pressure area was also sighted by Pagasa outside the PAR 1,960 kms. east – northeast of Eastern Visayas.

Pagasa said it is not ruling out the possibility that this may develop further into a tropical cyclone, but said that its chances of doing so in the next 24 hours are low.

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