Typhoon ‘Lawin’ picks up strength, aims for North Luzon

Typhoon ‘Lawin’ (right) gained strength overnight as it heads for Northern Luzon on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016, Pagasa said. The weather bureau sees Lawin becoming into a super typhoon. PAGASA SATELLITE PHOTO

Typhoon ‘Lawin’ picks up strength as it aims for Cagayan

News, Typhoon Lawin, weather, Pagasa

Typhoon Lawin (international name Haima) gained strength overnight as it continued to head towards Northern Luzon, the state weather bureau said early Tuesday.

Lawin’s maximum sustained winds picked up to 185 kilometers per hour with gusts of up to 230 kph, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

It was last sighted 1,075 kilometers east of Daet, Camarines Norte, moving west northwest at 24 kph.

Tropical Cyclone Signal No. 1 has been raised over Cagayan, Isabela, Catanduanes and Northern Aurora.

Moderate to heavy rain can be expected within the 700 kilometer diameter of the typhoon.

The typhoon is projected to make landfall in Cagayan on Thursday morning and exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Friday.

Forecasters has warned that Lawin could intensify into a super typhoon with sustained winds of at least 220 kph.

Cloudy skies with light to moderate rain and thunderstorms will be experienced over the Davao region and Soccsksargen, Pagasa said.

Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms will prevail over Metro Manila and the rest of the country. CBB