Severe Tropical Storm Emong continues to maintain its strength as it moves toward the Ilocos Region, according to the 8:00 AM weather bulletin issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
As of the latest advisory, Emong was located 245 kilometers west of Bacnotan, La Union. The storm is packing maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h and gusts of up to 135 km/h.
Several international weather agencies have observed signs of rapid intensification, raising the possibility that Emong may strengthen into a typhoon before its projected landfall in the Ilocos Region later tonight or early tomorrow morning.
PAGASA has raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 over the northern portion of Pangasinan and the western portion of La Union.
Signal No. 2 has been declared over the rest of La Union, the central portion of Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, the northwestern and western portions of mainland Cagayan, and the western portion of Nueva Vizcaya.
Signal No. 1 is in effect over Batanes, including the Babuyan Islands, the remaining areas of Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya and Pangasinan, Quirino, the central portions of Isabela, the northern and central parts of Zambales and Tarlac, and the western and central areas of Nueva Ecija.
PAGASA noted that Signal No. 4 may be the highest alert raised depending on Emong’s further intensification.
Meanwhile, the storm is also enhancing the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat), bringing additional rainfall to Metro Manila and nearby provinces.