Tropical Cyclone “Jenny” (international name: Koinu) has intensified and was expected to reach typhoon strength last night as Signal No. 1 was hoisted over Batanes on Sunday afternoon, the state weather bureau said.
In its 5 p.m. weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Jenny was last located 760 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan.
The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 100 kilometers per hour near the center, with gusts of up to 125 kph, was moving northwestward at 15 kilometers per hour, and is expected to move in the same direction until Tuesday morning.
According to PAGASA, Jenny is expected to turn west northwest by Tuesday afternoon towards the Luzon Strait and generally westward on Thursday.
A landfall or close approach scenario over the extreme northern Luzon was also not ruled out.
It is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Thursday afternoon or evening.
PAGASA hoisted Signal No. 1 over Batanes, where winds of 39 to 61 kph were expected in at least 36 hours. Intermittent rains may also be expected within the same time frame.
Jenny is expected to bring rainfall of up to 25 millimeters in mainland Cagayan, Isabela, Quezon including Polillo Islands, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Northern Samar and Eastern Sama from Sunday afternoon to Monday afternoon.
It is also expected to continue enhancing the southwest monsoon or “habagat” and bring occasional to monsoon rains over the western portions of central and southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao in the next three days.
Meanwhile, PAGASA said the trough of Jenny will bring rains over northern Luzon and the Bicol region, while the habagat will bring rains over Palawan, Mindoro, western Visayas and the western parts of Calabarzon and central Luzon from Monday to Tuesday.
By Wednesday to Friday, Palawan, Mindoro, western parts of Calabarzon, central Luzon, Ilocos and Cordillera may experience scattered to monsoon rains.
Metro Manila will be mostly sunny with afternoon thunderstorm on Monday, and mostly cloudy with scattered rains for the remainder of the week.
PAGASA likewise said two or three more tropical cyclones may form inside or enter PAR this month.