Typhoon Kiko (Chanthu) continued to strengthen while moving over the Philippine Sea on Thursday morning, September 9.

Kiko now has maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 240 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in a bulletin released past 11 am on Thursday.

Earlier, the typhoon had maximum sustained winds of 185 km/h and gustiness of up to 230 km/h.

Kiko was last spotted 670 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora, still moving west at 20 km/h.

More areas in Northern Luzon were placed under Signal No. 1 as of 11 am on Thursday:

• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• northeastern part of Apayao (Luna, Pudtol, Flora, Santa Marcela)
• northeastern part of Isabela (Santa Maria, San Pablo, Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan)

Signal No. 1 means strong winds with occasional gusts will be experienced within 36 hours.

“However, it must be noted that as the typhoon progresses towards extreme Northern Luzon, higher wind signals will be hoisted in some localities within Northern Luzon,” PAGASA said.

Signal No. 4 remains the highest possible tropical cyclone wind signal for Kiko.

Rain from the typhoon may also begin on Friday evening, September 10. Scattered to widespread floods and landslides are possible.

Heavy to intense rain, with at times torrential rain

• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• northern part of Isabela

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• Batanes
• rest of Isabela

PAGASA added that Kiko may trigger high waves and storm surges up to 2 meters high, which may affect several coastal municipalities in Northern Luzon.

On Thursday, the typhoon is already affecting certain seaboards.

Moderate to very rough seas (waves 1.5 to 2.8 meters high), progressing to rough to very rough seas (waves 2.5 to 5 meters high)

Travel risky for most vessels, inexperienced mariners should seek safe harbor

• eastern seaboard of Northern Luzon

Moderate to rough seas (waves 1.2 to 2.8 meters high)

Small vessels must take precautionary measures, inexperienced mariners should avoid navigation

• northern seaboard of Northern Luzon
• eastern seaboards of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon

PAGASA expects Kiko to move west northwest for the rest of Thursday, before turning northwest until Saturday, September 11. There may be “periods of short-term wobbling in its movement.”

The typhoon is expected to pass very close to the northeastern part of Cagayan and cross the vicinity of Babuyan Islands between Friday afternoon and early Saturday morning.

Then it will pass over the south and west of Batanes between Saturday morning and afternoon.

But PAGASA is not yet ruling out the possibility of Kiko making landfall in mainland Cagayan.

The state weather bureau added that the typhoon could reach a peak intensity between 185 km/h and 205 km/h on Thursday evening or Friday morning before passing close to mainland Northern Luzon and over Babuyan Islands.

It may start to weaken by Friday evening or Saturday while crossing Babuyan Islands and the Luzon Strait.

After crossing Babuyan Islands and the Luzon Strait, Kiko is projected to turn north northwest on Saturday evening and could make landfall in Taiwan, which is still within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

From Sunday, September 12, until Tuesday, September 14, Kiko is seen to head north northeast toward the East China Sea.

The typhoon could leave PAR on Sunday. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

PAGASA

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Jolina (Conson) was located 240 kilometers west of Dagupan City, Pangasinan, late Thursday morning.

Jolina slowed down further, moving west over the West Philippine Sea at only 10 km/h from the previous 25 km/h.

It maintained its strength, with maximum sustained winds of 85 km/h and gustiness of up to 115 km/h.

There are no more areas under tropical cyclone wind signals due to Jolina as of 11 am on Thursday.

But moderate to strong winds will be experienced in the western part of Luzon due to the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat, which is being enhanced by Jolina.

The enhanced southwest monsoon is also bringing moderate to heavy rain to these areas on Thursday:

• Palawan
• Western Visayas
• Zamboanga Peninsula

Flash floods and landslides are possible.

Jolina and the enhanced southwest monsoon are also causing moderate to rough seas, with waves 1.2 to 3.1 meters high, in the western seaboard of Luzon on Thursday. Travel is risky for small vessels.

Jolina is expected to move west northwest over the West Philippine Sea and leave PAR on Thursday evening.

Outside PAR, it will head west toward Vietnam or the southern part of China.

Jolina is also likely to re-intensify into a severe tropical storm on Thursday, and into a typhoon on Friday.

Jolina had made landfall in the Philippines nine times.

Monday, September 6 (as a typhoon)

• Hernani, Eastern Samar – 10 pm

Tuesday, September 7 (as a typhoon)

• Daram, Samar – 2 am
• Santo Niño, Samar – 3:40 am
• Almagro, Samar – 6:30 am
• Tagapul-an, Samar – 7:50 am
• Dimasalang, Masbate – 10 am

Wednesday, September 8 (as a severe tropical storm)

• Torrijos, Marinduque – 12:50 am
• San Juan, Batangas – 9 am

Wednesday, September 8 (as a tropical storm)

• Mariveles, Bataan – 5:30 pm

PAGASA

Jolina and Kiko are the Philippines’ 10th and 11th tropical cyclones for 2021.

An average of 20 tropical cyclones form within or enter PAR each year. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2021)

For the next six months, these are PAGASA’s estimates for the number of tropical cyclones inside PAR:

2021

• September – 2 or 3
• October – 2 or 3
• November – 2 or 3
• December – 1 or 2

2022

• January – 0 or 1
• February – 0 or 1

– Rappler.com