MANILA—Tropical storm Karding may become a typhoon before it makes its landfall over northern Luzon, PAGASA said late Friday.

In its 11 p.m. weather bulletin, PAGASA said Karding was last sighted 895 km east of northern Luzon, moving west southwestward at 15 kph while packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kph near its center with 90 kph gusts.

The storm is expected to develop into a severe tropical storm within 24 hours, the state weather bureau said, and is likely to make its landfall over the east coast of Isabela or Aurora on Sunday morning or afternoon.

"While current forecast scenario shows that Karding ING may make landfall as a severe tropical storm, the possibility that this tropical cyclone will reach typhoon category shortly before reaching land is not ruled out. Frictional effects of the rugged terrain of Northern Luzon may result in some slight weakening, although Karding will likely be at severe tropical storm category once it emerges over the West Philippine Sea," PAGASA said.

The agency projected that on Saturday evening through Sunday early morning, light to moderate with at times heavy rains will fall over Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, and the northern portion of Aurora

It projected that for the rest of Sunday through Monday early morning, heavy to intense rains will be experienced in the northern portion of Aurora, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, La Union, and Pangasinan.

• Prepare yourself for a typhoon

Moderate to heavy rains with at times intense rains will also fall in mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Provinces, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, the northern portion of Zambales, and the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, while light to moderate with at times heavy rains are likely in the rest of Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon.

"Due to the southwest monsoon partly influenced by Karding, occasional rains are also possible beginning tomorrow evening or on Sunday over most of Southern Luzon (including Metro Manila) and Visayas, especially over their western sections," PAGASA said.

Tropical cyclone wind signal no. 3 and 4 are likely to be raised in some areas of northern and Central Luzon, it noted.

Check the ABS-CBN Weather Center for more updates.