Typhoon 'Lawin' continues to intensify

MANILA -- Typhoon "Lawin" (international name: Jelawat) continues to intensify over the Philippine sea, the state weather bureau said on Monday.

Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that as of 5 a.m., Lawin was located at 480 kilometers East of Legaspi City (13.3°N,128.6°E) with maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 210 kph.

All public storm warning signals have been lowered, it said.

Lawin is forecast to move north northwest at seven kph and is expected to be at 420 kms East of Virac, Catanduanes by Tuesday morning.

By Wednesday morning, it will be at 530 kms East of Casiguran, Aurora; and at 480 kms East of Aparri, Cagayan by Thursday morning.

Weather Forecaster Samuel Duran said that based on the present models, the typhoon is still not expected to make landfall in any part of the country.

However, Duran said that those areas within its 700-km diameter radius are expected to experience rainfall of 10 to 20 mm per hour, which is classified as “heavy to intense.”

He said the typhoon is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon that will continue to bring moderate to heavy rains in Visayas and Mindanao.

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

In its advisory, Pagasa said Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Bicol region, Visayas and Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with occasional moderate to heavy rains which may trigger flashfloods and landslides.

Metro Manila, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), and Central Luzon will have occasional light to moderate rains and thunderstorms while Northern Luzon will be partly cloudy with brief rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the north to northwest will prevail over the Bicol region and eastern Visayas. While winds coming from the west to southwest will affect the rest of Visayas and Mindanao.

The coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough.

The rest of Luzon will experience light to moderate winds coming from the northeast to northwest with slight to moderate seas.

Pagasa also issued gale warning as strong to gale force wind is expected to affect the Northern, Eastern and Southern of Luzon and the seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao. (PNA)