Tropical Storm Julian slightly strengthens, expected to make landfall in Batanes or Babuyan Islands

Tropical Storm Julian (Krathon) has slightly strengthened with maximum sustained winds of 85 km/h and gustiness up to 105 km/h, located 345 km east of Aparri, Cagayan.

The storm is moving southwestward at a slightly slower 10 km/h.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 is raised over 11 areas in Luzon, including Batanes, Cagayan (including Babuyan Islands), Isabela, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, parts of Mountain Province and Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, parts of Ilocos Sur, and northern Aurora.

PAGASA now expects Julian to strengthen into a severe tropical storm by Sunday morning and a typhoon by Sunday evening.

There is a high chance of rapid intensification and the possibility of Julian reaching super typhoon status is not ruled out.

Julian is highly likely to make landfall in Batanes and/or Babuyan Islands, or pass very close to their area from Monday to early Tuesday morning, at or near its peak intensity.

From Tuesday onwards, the storm is projected to head north to northeast over the waters east of Taiwan.