'Goring' further intensifies while crossing Balintang Channel

Super typhoon Goring (international name: Saola) intensified further while crossing the Balintang Channel, “very close” to the Babuyan Islands, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Wednesday, Aug. 30.
In its 2 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Goring has maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 240 kph.
Forecast track
PAGASA said the super typhoon was last spotted over the coastal waters of Calayan, Babuyan Island, Cagayan, moving northwestward at 15 kph.
It may continue to move northwestward or west-northwestward over the Luzon Strait until it leaves the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) Wednesday evening or Thursday morning, Aug. 31.
“The latest track forecast indicates that the super typhoon will pass over the Balintang Channel in the next six hours, close to Babuyan Island and Batan-Sabtang Islands. The super typhoon will be passing through the region at or near its peak intensity,” PAGASA pointed out.
Wind warnings still in effect
“Violent [and] life-threatening conditions now prevail over portions of Babuyan Islands as Goring intensifies into a super typhoon,” PAGASA said.
Tropical cyclone wind signal number 5 remains hoisted over the northeastern portion of Babuyan Islands, while Signal No. 4 is still in effect over the southern portion of Batanes and the northwestern and southeastern portions of Babuyan Islands.
Signal No. 3 is raised over the rest of Batanes, the rest of Babuyan Islands, and the extreme northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan.
The northern portion of mainland Cagayan, northern portion of Ilocos Norte, and the northern portion of Apayao are under Signal No. 2, while the northern portion of Isabela, the rest of Ilocos Norte, the rest of Cagayan, the rest of Apayao, northern portion of Abra, and the northern portion of Kalinga are under Signal No. 1.
PAGASA said heavy rains due to Goring and the southwest monsoon, or “habagat” may also continue to affect parts of the country in the next few days.
READ MORE: https://mb.com.ph/2023/8/30/signal-no-5-raised-as-goring-re-intensifies-into-super-typhoon