Tropical depression  ‘Julian’ maintains its strength over the Philippine Sea east of Batanes and is expected to develop into a tropical storm Friday night or Saturday morning. according to the state weather bureau.

Based on Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) monitoring as of 5:00 p.m., Julian’s center was estimated at 445 km east-southeast of Itbayat, Batanes, or 425 km of Basco, Batanes.

Its maximum sustained winds were recorded at 55 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 70 km/h, and a central pressure of 1002 hectoPascals (hPa).

As of writing, ‘Julian’ is moving southwestward at a 20 km/h pace.

Signal No. 1 hoisted in some Luzon areas

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 is raised in the Babuyan Islands and the eastern portion of mainland Cagayan  (Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Gattaran, Lal-Lo, Baggao, Buguey, Aparri, Santa Teresita, Camalaniugan, Peñablanca, Ballesteros).

Residents of these areas are warned of strong winds, with potential impacts of minimal to minor threats to life and property.

For its outlook, ‘Julian’ is forecast to follow a looping path over the waters east of Batanes and Cagayan in the next five days.

“Initially, the tropical cyclone will head south southwestward or southwestward today through early Sunday (29 September) while decelerating, then move slowly northwestward or north-northwestward beginning mid-Sunday, then turn northward or north-northeastward on Tuesday (01 October) onwards,” said PAGASA.

The weather bureau also noted an increasing chance that the tropical depression’s track forecast will shift westward in the succeeding bulletins.

‘Julian’ may become a typhoon on Sunday, with its rapid intensification increasingly likely.