TYPHOON “Kiko” (Chanthu), which entered the Philippine area of responsibility Tuesday night, September 7, has intensified as it moved west southwest over the Philippine Sea.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), however, has not issued yet a Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS), but said stressed that based on Kiko’s current track and intensity forecast, there is a moderate to high likelihood that TCWS will be hoisted for several provinces in northern Luzon, with higher wind signal levels possible over extreme northern Luzon.
“These wind signals may be hoisted for these localities beginning tonight (September 8) or tomorrow morning (September 9). The highest possible wind signal that may be hoisted for this tropical cyclone is TCWS Number 4,” Pagasa said.
As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, September 8, the center of Kiko was located at 1,120 kilometers east of Central Luzon, packing maximum winds of 155 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center, gusts of up to 190 km/h, and central pressure of 965 hPa.
The typhoon was moving west southwest at 20 km/h.
Based on the typhoon’s track, Kiko was forecast to move west southwest in the next 12 hours before turning west northwest until Friday, September 10, toward the vicinity of extreme northern Luzon.
Afterwards, the typhoon will turn northwestward and pass near the southern coast of Taiwan on Saturday, September 11, before making landfall in the vicinity of southeastern China on Sunday evening (September 12) or Monday morning (September 13).
“Due to favorable environmental conditions, the typhoon is expected to continuously intensify until Saturday, when it is likely to reach its peak intensity of 185 to 205 km/h while moving over northern Luzon,” said Pagasa.
“Weakening is possible on Sunday as it moves closer to Taiwan and interacts with its rugged terrain,” it added.
Pagasa also said that heavy rains associated with the typhoon may begin affecting the eastern section of northern Luzon on Friday, September 10. (LMY)