MANILA, Philippines – Signal No. 2 was raised for the first time due to Typhoon Betty (Mawar), which slightly accelerated over the waters east of Cagayan before dawn on Monday, May 29.

As of 4 am, Betty was located 525 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan, moving northwest at 20 kilometers per hour, twice as fast as its previous speed of 10 km/h.

Betty maintained its strength, with maximum sustained winds of 155 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in a press briefing past 5 am. The typhoon’s gustiness is still up to 190 km/h.

“Strong to typhoon-force winds extend outwards up to 770 kilometers” from Betty’s center.

Here are the areas under tropical cyclone wind signals as of 5 am on Monday:

Signal No. 2

Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property

• Batanes
• eastern part of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Island, Camiguin Island, Didicas Island, Pamuktan Island)
• northeastern part of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana)

Signal No. 1

Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property

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

Betty is also starting to enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat, which is officially underway. On Monday, occasional gusts are possible in the eastern part of Central Luzon, eastern and southern parts of Southern Luzon that are not under wind signals, and most of the Visayas. By Tuesday, May 30, or Wednesday, May 31, the western part of Luzon may have occasional gusts, too.

Must Read

#WalangPasok: Class suspensions, Monday, May 29, 2023

The typhoon is still not expected to make landfall, but it will be bringing rain to Northern Luzon beginning Monday.

Monday, May 29, to early Tuesday morning, May 30

• 50-100 millimeters (mm): eastern part of Babuyan Islands, northeastern part of mainland Cagayan

Early Tuesday morning, May 30, to early Wednesday morning, May 31

• 100-200 mm: Batanes, eastern part of Babuyan Islands
• 50-100 mm: rest of Babuyan Islands, northern part of mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Abra, Benguet

Early Wednesday morning, May 31, to early Thursday morning, June 1

• 100-200 mm: Batanes, southern part of Ilocos Sur, La Union, western part of Benguet
• 50-100 mm: Babuyan Islands, rest of Ilocos Region, Abra, rest of Benguet

Early Thursday morning, June 1, to early Friday morning, June 2

• 50-100 mm: Batanes, Ilocos Region, Abra, western part of Benguet

Aside from Betty, the enhanced southwest monsoon will trigger rain, too.

Tuesday, May 30

• monsoon rain likely in western parts of Mimaropa and Western Visayas

Wednesday, May 31

• monsoon rain likely in western parts of Mimaropa and Western Visayas, and possible in western parts of Calabarzon and Central Luzon

Thursday, June 1

• monsoon rain likely in western part of Mimaropa, as well as possible in the Ilocos Region and western parts of Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Western Visayas

PAGASA also issued a new gale warning at 5 am on Monday for these seaboards:

• northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon – rough to high seas, with waves 3.1 to 6.5 meters high
• southern seaboard of Southern Luzon, western seaboard of Visayas, eastern seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao – rough to very rough seas, with waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high

“Rough to high sea conditions are risky for all types of sea vessels. Mariners are advised to remain in port or take shelter in port until winds and waves subside,” the weather bureau said.

Betty is projected to move northwest until Monday. Then it could become slow-moving or almost stationary from Tuesday to mid-Wednesday while east of Batanes, before turning north northeast or northeast late Wednesday or Thursday, June 1, and gradually speeding up toward the waters east of Taiwan and the southern part of Japan’s Ryukyu Islands.

PAGASA also sees Betty steadily weakening in the next five days due to cooler ocean waters and the intrusion of dry air. It might be downgraded to a severe tropical storm late Thursday or early Friday, June 2, and to a tropical storm late Friday or early Saturday, June 3.

At its peak, it was a super typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 215 km/h.

Betty may leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Friday, almost a week since it entered PAR early Saturday, May 27.

It is the country’s second tropical cyclone for 2023 and the first super typhoon of the year. – Rappler.com