The maximum sustained winds of Tropical Storm Julian (Krathon) increase to 75 km/h on Saturday afternoon, September 28
MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Julian (Krathon) slightly strengthened on Saturday afternoon, September 28, while still moving over the Philippine Sea.
Julian’s maximum sustained winds increased from 65 kilometers per hour to 75 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in its 5 pm bulletin on Saturday.
The tropical storm’s gustiness is now up to 90 km/h from the previous 80 km/h.
It was last spotted 380 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan, at 4 pm on Saturday.
Julian accelerated as well, moving west northwest at 15 km/h after slowly moving south southeast earlier on Saturday morning.
PAGASA still expects Julian to keep intensifying in the coming days, possibly becoming a severe tropical storm on Sunday, September 29, and a typhoon by Monday, September 30.
“There is high chance of rapid intensification, and the possibility of [Julian] reaching super typhoon category is not ruled out,” the weather bureau said.
Julian is projected to move west southwest or west from Saturday to Sunday afternoon, then generally northwest for the rest of Sunday until Tuesday, October 1, toward the Batanes-Babuyan Islands area. Then from Tuesday onwards, it may head north northeast over the waters east of Taiwan, which is within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
PAGASA added that it is “highly likely” for Julian to make landfall or go very near Batanes and/or Babuyan Islands on Monday or early Tuesday morning. The tropical cyclone will also be closest to extreme Northern Luzon at or near peak intensity.
Rain from Julian will persist in parts of Northern Luzon. PAGASA reminded affected areas to watch out for floods and landslides.
Saturday afternoon, September 28, to Sunday afternoon, September 29
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 millimeters): Babuyan Islands
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Batanes, mainland Cagayan, Isabela, Ilocos Norte
Sunday afternoon, September 29, to Monday afternoon, September 30
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Cagayan, Ilocos Norte
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Isabela, Batanes, Apayao, Abra, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Benguet
Monday afternoon, September 30, to Tuesday afternoon, October 1
- Intense to torrential rain (above 200 mm): Batanes, Babuyan Islands
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): mainland Cagayan, Apayao, Abra, Ilocos Norte
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Isabela, rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, rest of Ilocos Region
On Saturday evening, scattered rain and thunderstorms due to Julian may also hit the rest of Northern Luzon, as well as Central Luzon and Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes.
The rest of the country, not affected by the tropical storm, will continue to have generally fair weather, though there may be isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
Meanwhile, Signal No. 1 was raised in more areas as of 5 pm on Saturday, which means they will have strong winds from Julian:
- Batanes
- Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
- Isabela
- Apayao
- Kalinga
- eastern part of Mountain Province (Natonin, Paracelis)
- eastern part of Ifugao (Aguinaldo, Alfonso Lista)
- Ilocos Norte
- northern part of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran)
The highest tropical cyclone wind signal due to Julian could be Signal No. 4.
The weather bureau added that “the wind flow coming towards [Julian’s circulation] may also bring strong to gale-force gusts” to these areas:
Sunday, September 29
- Aurora, Calabarzon, Romblon, Bicol
Monday, September 30
- Aurora, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Romblon, Bicol
ALSO ON RAPPLER
In the next 24 hours, very rough sea conditions are expected in the seaboards of Batanes (waves up to 6 meters high) and the seaboards of Babuyan Islands (waves up to 5 meters high). PAGASA said travel is risky for most types of vessels.
Rough sea conditions are likely in the northern seaboard of mainland Cagayan (waves up to 4 meters high), the northern seaboard of Ilocos Norte and the remaining seaboard of Cagayan (waves up to 3.5 meters high), and the seaboards of Isabela and the northern part of Aurora (waves up to 3 meters high). Small vessels should not venture out to sea.
Moderate sea conditions will be seen in the remaining seaboard of Ilocos Norte (waves up to 2.5 meters high). Small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible.
Julian is the Philippines’ 10th tropical cyclone for 2024, and also the sixth tropical cyclone for September alone.
It may exit PAR on Wednesday, October 2.
PAGASA also continues to monitor Tropical Storm Jebi, located outside PAR at 2,170 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon as of 3 pm on Saturday.
The tropical storm is moving north northwest at a slightly slower 20 km/h from the previous 25 km/h.
It still has maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h and gustiness of up to 90 km/h.
The weather bureau previously said Jebi is not expected to enter PAR. – Rappler.com
