Julian” (international name: Krathon) has weakened into a typhoon as it continues to move slowly northeastward towards the southwestern coast of Taiwan, the state weather bureau said.
PAGASA in a 5 a.m. weather bulletin said that “Julian” is moving northwestward slowly, carrying peak winds of 165 km/h near the center and gusts of up to 205 kph.
The weather disturbance is forecast to move erratically after making landfall, emerging over the Taiwan Strait on Friday evening or Saturday early morning.
“There is no dominant weather system influencing the general motion of Julian. As such, considerable shifts in the track forecast of succeeding bulletins are not ruled out,” PAGASA warned.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 is raised over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, the northern and western portions of Ilocos Norte, and the northwestern portion of mainland Cagayan.
Typhoon “Julian” will continue to weaken into a remnant low due to a combination of incoming northeasterly wind flow over the East China Sea and Taiwan Strait and lower ocean heat content in its vicinity, followed by the frictional effects of hitting Taiwan’s landmass.
Its center was last estimated at 280 km west-northwest of Itbayat, Batanes.
