Gorio now become a typhoon:Signal

Weather disturbance “Gorio” has intensified to a typhoon category Friday afternoon.

Weather disturbance “Gorio” has intensified into a typhoon on Friday afternoon, prompting the state weather bureau to hoist a tropical cyclone warning signal no. 2 over the Batanes Group of Islands.

In its 5 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said it spotted Typhoon Gorio at 300 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes at 4 p.m.

The cyclone was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and had gusts of up to 145 kph. It is moving northwest at a pace of 15 kph.

The seventh cyclone of the year is expected to leave Philippine area of responsibility.

Babuyan group of Islands, meanwhile, is now under Signal no. 1.

In May, weather disturbances were classified by PAGASA into five categories, namely tropical depression with wind velocity of about 61 kph, tropical storm with wind velocity of 62 to 88 kph, severe tropical storm with wind velocity of 89 to 117 kph, typhoon with wind velocity of 118 to 220 kph, and super typhoon with wind velocity of at least 220 kph.

Southwest monsoon, or habagat, is still affecting most parts of Luzon, while weather in Visayas and Mindanao has improved as Gorio moves away from the Philippine soil and heads toward Taiwan.
Forecast positions

24 hours (Saturday morning): 225 km northeast of Basco, Batanes

48 hours (Sunday morning): 450 km north northwest of Basco, Batanes

72 hours (Monday morning): 730 km north northwest of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)

96 hours (Tuesday morning): 960 km north northwest of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)