Tropical cyclone Karding (international name: Noru) rapidly intensified from a severe tropical storm into a typhoon at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
In its 8 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Karding now has maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph.
It added that the weather disturbance is likely to further intensify prior to landfall over Aurora or Quezon on Sunday afternoon or evening, Sept. 25.
As of 7 p.m., Karding was estimated at 490 kilometers (km) east of Baler, Aurora, and was moving southwestward at 20 kph.
Signal No. 3 up
In anticipation of strong winds due to typhoon Karding, PAGASA raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 over the northern portion of Camarines Norte and eastern portion of Polillo Islands.
Signal No. 2 was also up in Metro Manila, southern portion of Isabela, Quirino, central and southeastern portions of Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, eastern portion of Tarlac, Bulacan, eastern portion of Pampanga, northern and central portions of Quezon including the rest of Polillo Islands, northern and central portions of Laguna, northeastern portion of Cavite, Rizal, eastern portion of Pangasinan, northern portion of Camarines Sur, northern and central portions of Catanduanes, and the rest of Camarines Norte.
Meanwhile, Signal No. 1 was raised in the southern portion of Cagayan, the rest of Isabela, the rest of Nueva Vizcaya, southern portion of Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, southern portion of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, the rest of Pangasinan, the rest of Tarlac, the rest of Pampanga, Zambales, Bataan, the rest of Laguna, the rest of Quezon, the rest of Cavite, Batangas, the rest of Camarines Sur, Albay, the rest of Catanduanes, Marinduque, northwestern portion of Occidental Mindoro, and northewestern portion of Oriental Mindoro.
“Throughout the passage of Karding, winds may reach storm-force in strength in any of the areas where Wind Signal No. 3 is hoisted, while winds may reach gale-force in strength in any of the areas where Wind Signal No. 2 is hoisted,” PAGASA said.
“ strong winds—strong breeze to near gale strength—will be experienced within any of the areas where Wind Signal No. 1 is currently in effect,” it added.
Based on the latest track and intensity forecast, PAGASA said the most likely highest wind signal that will be hoisted is Wind Signal No. 4
Heavy rains to prevail
PAGASA said light to heavy rains may begin affecting Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, the northern portion of Aurora, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, and Camarines Sur between Saturday evening and early Sunday morning.
For the rest of Sunday through early Monday morning, heavy to torrential rains may prevail over the northern portion of Quezon including Polillo Islands, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pangasinan, and the northern portion of Zambales.
Heavy to intense rains may also prevail over the rest of Central Luzon, while moderate to heavy rains may affect Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Rizal.
“Under these conditions, scattered flooding and rain-induced landslides are possible, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps and in localities with significant antecedent rainfall,” PAGASA said.
It added that because of the southwest monsoon or “habagat” partly influenced by Karding, occasional rains are possible over most of Southern Luzon and Visayas, especially over the western sections, as early as Saturday.