(Eagle News)–“Sarah” has intensified into a severe tropical storm, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.
PAGASA said Signal No. 1 is hoisted over Batanes and Babuyan Islands as “Sarah,” last spotted 425 km east northeast of Aparri, Cagayan or 340 km east of Basco, Batanes, packed maximum sustained winds of 95 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph.
It is moving north northwest at 25 kph.
PAGASA said gusty conditions will prevail over the northern and western sections of Northern Luzon, especially in the coastal and mountainous areas due to the surge of the northeast monsoon.
Light to moderate rains with some isolated heavy rainshowers are forecast over Isabela, Cagayan (especially on the eastern section), Aurora, northern Quezon, Metro Manila, and most of Central Luzon due to a remnant LPA and the trough of Severe Tropical Storm “Sarah.”
Sea travel is risky, especially for small sea craft, over the seaboards of areas under a storm signal, seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon, and the western seaboard of Southern Luzon due to prevailing or forecast rough sea conditions caused by “Sarah” and the northeast monsoon.
“Sarah” is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Saturday.