As of 5:00 PM on Sunday, May 26, PAGASA has confirmed that ‘Aghon’ intensified into a severe tropical storm. Forecasters estimated its location over the coastal waters of Mauban, Quezon.
‘Aghon’ keeps moving northeastward slowly with a maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center and gustiness of 130 km/h.
PAGASA said the storm “will continue to move northeastward towards Polillo Islands. The possibility of intensifying into a typhoon while over the sea east of Quezon is not ruled out.”
“From tomorrow through the remainder of the forecast period, ‘Aghon’ will gradually accelerate northeastward while intensifying,” the state weather bureau noted.
Based on PAGASA’s latest monitoring, the storm is moving towards Baler and Casiguran, Aurora; Tuguegarao City, Cagayan and Basco, Batanes until it reaches east northeast of extreme Northern Luzon.
‘Aghon’ is forecast to reach typhoon category by tomorrow afternoon and may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday.
Tropical Cyclone Wind (TCWS) Signal No. 3 has been hoisted for the eastern section of Quezon (Infanta, Real, Mauban) including Polillo Islands (Panukulan, Burdeos, Patnanungan, and Polillo).
The province of Aurora, parts of Quezon, Laguna, Batangas, eastern and central portions of Rizal, and the northern portion of Camarines Norte are placed under TCWS No. 2.
Areas under TCWS No. 1, meanwhile, include parts of Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, the rest of Quezon, rest of Rizal, rest of Batangas, Marinduque, extreme northern portion of Romblon, the rest of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur.