'Lawin' maintains strength; northern Luzon still under storm signal

MANILA -- Typhoon “Lawin” (international name: Jelawat) maintained its strength as it continued to move on Friday morning near extreme Northern Luzon, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

Weather Forecaster Boy Soriaga said that as of 6 a.m. Friday, Typhoon "Lawin" was located at 250 kilometers northeast of Itbayat, Batanes (22.3°N, 124.0°E) with maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 220 kph.

Soriaga said that several areas in Northern Luzon remain under public storm warning signals.

Storm warning signal No. 3 (101-185 kph winds) is raised over the Batanes Group of Islands, while signal No. 2 (61-100 kph winds) is hoisted over the Calayan and Babuyan Groups of Islands.

Cagayan, Ilocos Norte and Apayao are under storm signal No. 1 (30-60 kph winds).

Soriaga said that public storm warning signal elsewhere had been lowered.

Residents living in coastal areas under public storm warning signal Nos. 3 and 2 are alerted against big waves or storm surges generated by the typhoon.

Soriaga said that Lawin is forecast to move northward at 13 kph and is expected to leave the Philippine territory on Saturday headed toward Japan.

Lawin is forecast to be at 160 km east of Taiwan by Saturday morning and 110 km northwest of Okinawa, Japan by Sunday morning.

Pagasa said areas within Lawin's 750-km diameter are expected to experience rainfall of 10 to 20 millimeters per hour, classified as heavy to intense.

The weather agency said fishing boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out into the eastern seaboard of Central Luzon, the seaboard of Southern Luzon and the seaboards of Western Visayas due to big waves generated by typhoon Lawin and the southwest monsoon.

In its advisory, Pagasa said that Calayan, Babuyan and Batanes Groups of Islands will experience stormy weather with rough to very rough seas. Ilocos Norte, Cagayan and Apayao will have rains and gusty winds.

Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) will experience cloudy skies with occasional moderate heavy rains and thunderstorms.

Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon and Visayas will have occasional light to moderate rains and thunderstorms.

Mindanao will be partly cloudy with brief rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northwest to west will prevail over Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Mt. Province and Quirino. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be moderate to rough.

The weather agency also issued a gale warning as strong to gale force wind is expected to affect the eastern seaboard of Luzon, the seaboard of Southern Luzon and the western seaboard of Visayas. (PNA/Sunnex)