TYPHOON Uwan (international name: Fung-wong) continues to intensify rapidly as it moves closer toward the Philippine Sea east of the Bicol Region, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) reported Saturday afternoon.
In its 5 p.m. bulletin, Pagasa said the typhoon’s center was located 575 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar, or 620 km east of Virac, Catanduanes. Uwan is moving west-northwest at 30 kilometers per hour, packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph.
Signal No. 3 is raised over Catanduanes; eastern parts of Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, and Northern Samar.
Signal No. 2 covers mainland Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Metro Manila, and much of Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and nearby provinces. Signal No. 1 is up in wide areas of Luzon and the Visayas, including Metro Cebu, Negros, Panay, and parts of Mindanao such as Dinagat Islands and Surigao provinces.
PAGASA said Uwan is expected to move west-northwest through Sunday before veering northwest by Monday. The typhoon’s eye may pass close to Catanduanes on Sunday morning and make landfall over the southern part of Isabela or northern Aurora late Sunday or early Monday.
After landfall, Uwan will cross Northern Luzon’s mountainous terrain and emerge over Lingayen Gulf or coastal Pangasinan or La Union by Monday.
The weather bureau warned that Uwan could reach super typhoon category by Saturday night or Sunday, with rapid intensification possible due to favorable conditions. It is expected to weaken after landfall but remain a typhoon as it moves across Northern Luzon.
