'Lawin' now a typhoon

CEBU CITY (Updated 12:30 p.m.) -- Lawin (international codename: Jelawat), the 12th cyclone in the country this year, intensified into a typhoon as it moved closer to Samar provinces on Sunday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Lawin was spotted around 10 a.m. Sunday at 330 kilometers east of Borongan, Eastern Samar.

It is moving northwest at seven kilometers per hour (kph), packing maximum winds of 120 kph near the center and gusts of up to 150 kph.

Satellite image of Typhoon Lawin as of 12:32 p.m. Sunday, September 23, 2012. (Source: Pagasa)

Pagasa hoisted public storm warning signal number 1 in Samar provinces. Areas in these provinces will experience winds from 30 to 60 kph.

With this, the weather bureau warned residents living in low lying and mountainous areas in Samar against possible flashfloods and landslides.

Pagasa said Lawin brings estimated rainfall amount of 10 to 20 millimeters per hour within its 600 kilometers diameter. This amount of rainfall is considered “intense heavy.”

Pagasa also warned residents in Western Visayas and Mindanao against southwest monsoon, as it will bring light to moderate rains over their regions.

The southwest monsoon was enhanced by Lawin, said weather forecasters.

Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao due to big waves generated by the typhoon.

Lawin is expected to be 335 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes by Monday morning; 525 kilometers east of Infanta, Quezon by Tuesday morning; and 420 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora by Wednesday morning.

Pagasa said the typhoon may make landfall in Batanes before going out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Thursday or Friday on its way to Taiwan. (Sunnex)