Several areas in northern Luzon have been placed under Signal No. 3 on Friday morning, October 3, as Severe Tropical Storm Paolo further intensified while moving closer to northern Aurora and southern Isabela.
State weather bureau PAGASA said the storm was spotted 150 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora, packing maximum sustained winds of 100 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 125 kph.
Paolo is moving west-northwestward at 20 kph.
Storm-force winds extend outward up to 350 kilometers from the center. PAGASA warned that Paolo may reach typhoon category before making landfall later today.
Wind signals
Tropical cyclone warning signals have been raised in the following areas:
Signal No. 3
northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan)
central and southern portions of Isabela (Dinapigue, San Mariano, San Guillermo, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, Cordon, City of Santiago, Ramon, San Isidro, Alicia, Angadanan, City of Cauayan, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Cabatuan, San Mateo, Aurora, San Manuel, Burgos, Gamu, Roxas, Palanan)
northern portion of Quirino (Maddela, Cabarroguis, Aglipay, Saguday, Diffun)
northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Diadi, Bagabag, Villaverde, Ambaguio, Quezon, Solano, Bayombong)
Mountain Province
Ifugao
southeastern portion of Abra (Tubo)
northern portion of Benguet (Mankayan, Buguias, Kabayan, Bakun, Kibungan, Atok, Kapangan)
central and southern portions of Ilocos Sur (Sugpon, Alilem, Cervantes, Suyo, Tagudin, Santa Cruz, Sigay, Quirino, Gregorio del Pilar, Salcedo, Santa Lucia, City of Candon, San Emilio, Galimuyod, Lidlidda, Banayoyo, Santiago, San Esteban, Burgos)
northern portion of La Union (Sudipen, Santol, Balaoan, Luna, Bangar, San Gabriel, Bacnotan, San Juan)
Winds of 89 to 117 kph are expected within 18 hours in these areas, posing moderate to significant threats to life and property.
Signal No. 2
central and southern portions of mainland Cagayan (Peñablanca, Tuguegarao City, Enrile, Solana, Iguig, Tuao, Piat, Rizal, Santo Niño, Alcala, Amulung)
rest of Isabela
rest of Quirino
rest of Nueva Vizcaya
central portion of Aurora (Dipaculao, Baler, Maria Aurora, San Luis)
northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Bongabon, San Jose City, Pantabangan, Rizal, Lupao)
central and southern portions of Apayao (Conner, Kabugao)
Kalinga
rest of Abra
rest of Benguet
central and southern portions of Ilocos Norte (Nueva Era, Badoc, Pinili, City of Batac, Paoay, Currimao, Banna, Laoag City, San Nicolas, Sarrat, Dingras, Solsona, Marcos, Bacarra, Piddig)
rest of Ilocos Sur
rest of La Union
northern portion of Pangasinan (San Fabian, Sison, Pozorrubio, Umingan, San Jacinto, Laoac, Binalonan, San Nicolas, Natividad, Tayug, San Manuel, Asingan, Santa Maria, San Quintin, Dagupan City, Mangaldan, Manaoag, Bolinao, Anda, Bani, City of Alaminos, Sual, Labrador, Lingayen, Binmaley, Calasiao, Mapandan, Santa Barbara, City of Urdaneta)
Residents under Signal No. 2 may experience minor to moderate impacts from winds of 62 to 88 kph within 24 hours.
Signal No. 1
rest of mainland Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
rest of Aurora
northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta) including Polillo Islands
Camarines Norte
northern portion of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Tinambac, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Caramoan, Goa, San Jose, Presentacion)
Catanduanes
rest of Apayao
rest of Ilocos Norte
rest of Pangasinan
rest of Nueva Ecija
northern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Miguel, San Ildefonso, Norzagaray, San Rafael)
Tarlac
northeastern portion of Pampanga (Magalang, Arayat, Candaba, Mabalacat City)
northern portion of Zambales (Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz)
Areas under Signal No. 1 could experience minimal to minor impacts from winds of 39 to 61 kph within 36 hours.
Severe winds
PAGASA warned Friday that the periphery of Severe Tropical Storm Paolo will bring strong to gale-force gusts over the following areas not currently under wind signals:
Friday, October 3: Batanes, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, Bicol Region, Panay Island, Occidental and Oriental Mindoro, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar
Saturday, October 4: Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Region, Zambales and Bataan
The bureau said the worst-case scenario could reach Wind Signal No. 4 as Paolo may intensify into a typhoon before landfall.
Sea conditions
Gale warnings remain in effect over the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Central Luzon as Severe Tropical Storm Paolo continues to intensify.
PAGASA said sea travel is risky for all types and tonnage of vessels, and mariners should remain in port or seek safe harbor until winds and waves subside.
Very rough to very high seas: Up to 11 meters are expected over the seaboards of Isabela and northern Aurora. These waters may produce extremely hazardous conditions for large vessels and ships navigating near exposed areas.
High seas: Coastal waters may reach up to 6 meters along the eastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan, western seaboard of Ilocos Norte and seaboards of Ilocos Sur and La Union.
Moderately high seas: Up to 5 meters are expected over the remaining seaboards of mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Norte and Babuyan Islands.
Rough seas: Up to 4 meters are forecast over Batanes, remaining seaboards of Aurora and northern and eastern coasts of the Polillo Islands. Small boats and fishing vessels are strongly discouraged from venturing out.
Moderate seas: Up to 3.5 meters in northern Quezon and Camarines Norte, as well as the seaboards of Pangasinan. Up to 3 meters are expected along the northern seaboards of Catanduanes and Camarines Sur.
Moderate to slightly rough seas: Up to 2.5 meters in the eastern seaboards of mainland Quezon, Catanduanes, Rapu-Rapu Islands, Sorsogon, northern and eastern Northern Samar, and the western seaboards of Zambales and Bataan.
PAGASA warned that strong winds may enhance waves and swell heights in coastal and exposed areas, and sea conditions may worsen as Paolo approaches northern Luzon.
Track and intensity
Severe Tropical Storm Paolo is forecast to move west-northwestward and may make landfall over northern Aurora or southern Isabela Friday morning or around noon, PAGASA said.
The state weather bureau warned that heavy rainfall, strong winds and storm surge may still affect areas outside the projected landfall point and forecast cone.
After crossing Northern Luzon, Paolo is expected to emerge over the West Philippine Sea later Friday afternoon or evening and will continue west-northwestward until it exits the Philippine area of responsibility Saturday morning, October 4.