Tropical Depression Julian nears Cagayan Valley, may become typhoon by Sunday

Tropical Depression Julian, which developed at 2 am on Friday, September 27, has accelerated southwestward at 20 kilometers per hour and is now located 445 kilometers east southeast of Itbayat, Batanes.

As of Friday afternoon, Julian was still maintaining maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h and gusts up to 70 km/h, with Signal No. 1 hoisted over parts of Cagayan Valley, including Babuyan Islands and the eastern portion of mainland Cagayan.

PAGASA warns that Julian is expected to rapidly intensify into a tropical storm by Friday evening or Saturday morning, potentially reaching typhoon strength by Sunday afternoon, posing risks for strong winds and heavy rainfall in extreme Northern Luzon over the weekend.

Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, and Isabela will experience cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms, increasing the risk of flash floods or landslides due to moderate to heavy rainfall.

PAGASA also monitors Tropical Storm Jebi outside the Philippine area of responsibility, located 2,420 kilometers east of Central Luzon, moving west-northwest at 15 km/h with similar wind speeds.