Signal no. 2 raised over 3 areas as 'Betty' speeds up slightly

MANILA -- Three areas in the country were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal no. 2 as typhoon Betty sped up northwestward over the waters east of Cagayan.

In its 5 a.m. tropical cyclone bulletin, state weather bureau PAGASA said Betty was last seen 525 km east of Aparri, Cagayan. It has maximum sustained winds of 155 kph near the center and gusts of up to 190 kph. It is moving northwestward at 20 kph.

Tropical cyclone wind signal no. 2 is raised over:

• Batanes
• the eastern portion of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Is., Camiguin Is., Didicas Is., Pamuktan Is.)
• the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana) 

Tropical cyclone wind signal no. 1, meanwhile, is hoisted over:

• The rest of Babuyan Islands
• the rest of mainland Cagayan
• Isabela
• Quirino
• the northeastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kasibu, Quezon, Solano, Bagabag, Diadi, Villaverde, Bayombong, Ambaguio)
• Apayao
• Abra
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Ilocos Norte
• the northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Baler)
• Polillo Islands
• the northern portion of Catanduanes (Caramoran, Viga, Gigmoto, Panganiban, Bagamanoc, Pandan)
• the northeastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Garchitorena, Lagonoy, Tinambac, Siruma)
• the northern portion of Camarines Norte (Vinzons, Paracale, Jose Panganiban, Capalonga, Talisay, Daet, Mercedes, Basud)

PAGASA said Betty is expected to move generally northwestward slowly on Monday and may become slow-moving or almost stationary from Tuesday to mid-Wednesday while over the waters east of Batanes. 

After that, it may move north northeastward or northeastward on late Wednesday or Thursday, then gradually speed up towards the waters east of Taiwan.

Betty may be downgraded into a severe tropical storm on late Thursday or early Friday--the day it is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

In the meantime, Betty is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat while it is still inside PAR.

It may bring monsoon over the western portions of MIMAROPA and Western Visayas on Tuesday.

Monsoon rains will also be possible over the western portion of CALABARZON and Central Luzon on Wednesday, and over the Ilocos Region on Thursday.

--TeleRadyo, 29 May 2023