Severe Tropical Storm Emong Triggers Warnings in Luzon
Authorities have placed two Luzon areas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 as Emong intensified into a severe tropical storm early Thursday morning. The Philippine weather agency reported this development at 5 a.m., emphasizing the increasing threat to northern and western Luzon regions.
The exact four word keyphrase “severe tropical storm Emong” highlights Emong’s growing strength and its impact on the weather warnings issued.
Areas Under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals
TCWS No. 3 now covers the northern part of Pangasinan, including towns like Anda, Bolinao, and Bani. It also encompasses the western section of La Union, covering Luna, Balaoan, Bacnotan, San Juan, the City of San Fernando, Bauang, and Caba.
Meanwhile, TCWS No. 2 has been raised in several provinces, such as Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur, the remaining parts of La Union, and western Apayao towns like Conner, Kabugao, and Calanasan. Additional areas include Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, central Pangasinan towns, and western Nueva Vizcaya’s Kayapa and Santa Fe.
Other locations under TCWS No. 1 include Batanes, Cagayan and the Babuyan Islands, parts of Isabela province, the rest of Nueva Vizcaya and Apayao, northern and central Zambales, Tarlac, and western to central Nueva Ecija.
Storm Details and Movement
At 2 a.m. Thursday, Emong was classified as a severe tropical storm. Its center was last tracked 245 kilometers west of Bacnotan, La Union. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour and gusts reaching 135 km/h.
Emong is moving southwest at 25 km/h but is expected to shift southeastward before turning north-northeast within the next 24 hours. Forecasts indicate it might pass close to Pangasinan this afternoon and could make landfall over the Ilocos Region tonight or early tomorrow morning.
After crossing Northern Luzon, Emong is projected to move over the Luzon Strait and pass near the Babuyan Islands. Local sources also warned that Emong could intensify further into a typhoon before making landfall.
Tropical Storm Dante’s Status
In a separate bulletin, the weather bureau reported that Tropical Storm Dante maintained its strength while moving north-northwest at 15 km/h. It was last spotted 790 kilometers east-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, with sustained winds of 75 km/h and gusts up to 90 km/h.
Dante is expected to continue northwestward over the Philippine Sea before heading toward the Ryukyu Islands and the East China Sea. It may exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Thursday afternoon or evening. Although further intensification into a severe tropical storm is unlikely, it cannot be entirely ruled out.
For more news and updates on severe tropical storm Emong, visit Filipinokami.com.
