Manila: ‘Nando’ has rapidly intensified into a typhoon as it moves over the Philippine Sea. As of 10 a.m. Saturday, Typhoon Nando was located 775 km east of Casiguran, Aurora, packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph, and moving west-northwestward at 10 kph.
According to Philippines News Agency, Wind Signal No. 1 is expected to be hoisted over Northern Luzon and the eastern section of Central Luzon on Saturday afternoon, as reported by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). On its forecast track, the center of Nando may pass close to or make landfall over Batanes or the Babuyan Islands by Monday afternoon or evening, with an exit from the Philippine Area of Responsibility anticipated by Tuesday morning.
PAGASA has indicated that Nando will continue to intensify while over the Philippine Sea and may reach super typhoon category by Monday before its close approach to Batanes and the Babuyan Islands. The trough of Nando is expected to bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms over Cagayan Valley, the Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Aurora, and Quezon.
The same weather conditions are forecasted for Metro Manila, Mimaropa, Pangasinan, the rest of Central Luzon, and the rest of Calabarzon due to the southwest monsoon. The rest of the country is projected to have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms as a result of the southwest monsoon or localized thunderstorms.
The eastern sections of Luzon are set to experience moderate to strong winds and moderate to rough seas, while the northern section of Luzon will have moderate winds and moderate seas. The remainder of the archipelago is expected to have light to moderate winds and slight to moderate seas.