(Eagle News)–Signal No. 1 remains in effect over portions of Cagayan and Babuyan Islands as “Siony” intensified into a severe tropical storm.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga) and the eastern portion of Babuyan Islands (Balintang Island, Babuyan Islands, Didicas Island, and Camiguin Island, including their adjoining islets) are under the tropical cyclone wind signal with “Siony” located 735 km east of Basco, Batanes, and packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph.
It is moving north slowly.
According to PAGASA, “Siony” is expected to move slowly or remain almost stationary in the next 6 to 12 hours.
It will then move generally west or west-northwest towards the Luzon Strait and extreme Northern Luzon, bringing the center over or very close to the Batanes and Babuyan Islands between tomorrow evening and Friday morning.
“Siony” is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Friday afternoon or evening.
In the next 24 hours, the northeasterlies enhanced by Tropical Storm “Rolly” and Severe Tropical Storm “Siony” will bring strong breeze to gale-force winds with higher gusts over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and the northern coastal areas of Cagayan and Ilocos Norte.
The northeasterlies and the trough of “Siony,” on the other hand, will bring light to moderate with at times heavy rains over Bicol Region, Aurora, Quezon, and the eastern portions of Cagayan and Isabela.
Rough to very rough seas are expected over the entire seaboards of Northern Luzon, the northern seaboard of Camarines Sur, the northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes, and the seaboards of Aurora, Camarines Norte, Kalayaan Islands, and northern Quezon (including the northern and eastern coastal waters of Polillo Islands), which means sea travel is risky over these waters, especially for those using small seacraft.
PAGASA said moderate to rough seas will be experienced over the western seaboard of Central Luzon, the eastern and western seaboards of Southern Luzon, and the eastern seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao.