Typhoon Odette enters PAR, may intensify to Signal No. 3

Severe Tropical Storm Odette entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Tuesday evening and strengthened into a typhoon by Wednesday morning.

As of Wednesday morning, Odette had maximum sustained winds of 120 kph and gusts of up to 150 kph, moving west at 20 kph.

The typhoon is expected to intensify further and make landfall in Caraga or Eastern Visayas on Thursday afternoon or evening, with a projected peak intensity of 155 kph.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 has been raised over the eastern portion of Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur.

TCWS No. 1 covers parts of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Rainbands from Odette are expected to bring light to moderate, with occasional heavy rains, to parts of Mindanao and Visayas starting Wednesday.

PAGASA warned that the highest level of wind signal that may be hoisted is TCWS No. 3 due to possible destructive typhoon-force winds.