MANILA, Philippines — Three provinces were placed under Signal No. 1 as Vinta (international name Krosa) intensified into a storm early Wednesday, the state weather bureau said.
The following areas were placed under Signal No. 1:
Cagayan
Isabela
Aurora
Chris Perez of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said that Vinta is expected to make landfall in Cagayan on Thursday morning.
It is seen to intensify further as it still remained at sea.
The storm was last observed 690 kilometers east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 80 kph.
It was forecast to move westward at 19 kph.
Vinta is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Saturday.
“The provinces of Cagayan, Isabela and Aurora will have rains and gusty winds with rough to very rough seas. Quezon Province, Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas and Mindanao will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms,” Pagasa said.
Metro Manila and the regions of Ilocos, Cordillera and rest of Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains. The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.
Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over the rest of Northern and Central Luzon and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough.
Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the northeast to northwest with slight to moderate seas.