Metro Manila, Philippines – Seven areas in Luzon are under Signal. No. 2 as tropical storm Paolo approaches land mass, the weather bureau said in its latest bulletin.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the storm alert covers Isabela, the northern portion of Quirino, the northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and the northern portion of Aurora.PAGASA said the early warning is for communities to prepare for winds that may cause minor to moderate threat to life and property.The lowest storm alert, meanwhile, is up in 20 areas, as follows:
– Cagayan
– the rest of Quirino
– the rest of Nueva Vizcaya
– Apayao
– Abra
– Benguet
– Ilocos Norte
– Ilocos Sur
– La Union
– Pangasinan
– the northern portion of Zambales
– Tarlac
– Nueva Ecija
– rest of Aurora
– northern portion of Bulacan
– northern portion of Pampanga
– northern portion of Quezon including Polillo Islands
– Camarines Norte
– northern portion of Camarines Sur
– Catanduanes
The weather agency said Isabela, Quirino, and Aurora may also have intense to torrential rains Thursday to Friday noon. Heavy rainfall is expected across the eastern section of Luzon. The bureau warned “Paolo” may intensify into a severe tropical storm by Thursday evening over the Philippine Sea.PAGASA is not ruling out the possibility of “Paolo” strengthening into a typhoon before making landfall over Isabela or northern Aurora on Friday morning.The bureau said Signal No. 4 will be the worst-case scenario.“Paolo” was last spotted 480 kilometers (km) east of Infanta, Quezon, packing maximum sustained winds of 85 km per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 105 kph.As of 5 p.m., PAGASA warned coastal areas of Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes of moderate risk of life-threatening storm surge with peak heights reaching two meters within 36 hours.The tropical cyclone will cross northern Luzon and will leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Saturday morning.
