The latest storm information from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said that at 5:00 a.m. on September 30, the center of Typhoon Krathon (Julian) was at about 19.9 degrees north latitude, 122.2 degrees east longitude, in the waters of Balintang, Calayan, Cagayan. The strongest wind near the center of the storm increased to 155 km/h (level 14), gusting to 190 km/h (level 16), central pressure 950 hPa.
The storm is moving westward at 10 km/h and continues to strengthen. The storm's strong winds extended up to 560 km from the center of the storm.
Meanwhile, according to the Vietnam National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, during the day and night of September 30, the low pressure trough with an axis at about 19-22 degrees north latitude connecting with Typhoon Krathon is expected to cause winds gradually increasing to level 6-7, gusting to level 9 in the east of the North East Sea (from longitude 116-120 degrees east); especially in the east of longitude 118.5 at night, there will be strong winds of level 8-10, gusting to level 12. The sea is very rough. Waves are 3-5m high.
In its latest typhoon forecast, PAGASA said Typhoon Julian will move west-northwest across the Balintang Channel on September 30 and pass very close to Balintang and Batanes islands. "There is still a possibility of storms making landfall in these areas," the weather forecasting agency added.
But even if it does not make landfall, it will be closest to the Batanes and Babuyan Islands from the morning to the afternoon of September 30.
PAGASA has issued Typhoon Wind Signal No. 4 (the highest level), warning of winds of 118 to 184 km/h, seriously threatening the lives and property of the northern Babuyan and Calayan Islands.
On September 30, PAGASA also warned of heavy to very heavy rain (over 200 mm) in Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte; 100-200 mm in mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Apayao, Abra, Benguet.
For coastal waters, the sea is very rough in the coast of Batanes (waves up to 14 meters) and the coast of Babuyan Islands (waves up to 10 meters); the northern coast of Ilocos Norte (waves up to 6 meters) as well as the northern coast of mainland Cagayan and the remaining coast of Ilocos Norte (waves up to 5 meters).
PAGASA said Julian could strengthen into a super typhoon on October 1.
Julian will then turn mainly northeast towards Taiwan (China) on October 2 and begin to weaken due to the rugged terrain there.
Julian is the 10th tropical storm to hit the Philippines in the 2024 typhoon season and the sixth tropical storm in September alone.
The other tropical storm that PAGASA is monitoring is Typhoon Jebi, which is not expected to enter the Philippine Forecast Area (PAR).
