MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Julian (Krathon) weakened over the waters southeast of Taiwan on Wednesday evening, October 2, ahead of its expected reentry into the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
Julian’s maximum sustained winds decreased from 165 kilometers per hour to 155 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in a briefing past 11 pm on Wednesday. Its gustiness also eased from 205 km/h to 190 km/h.
At its peak as a super typhoon, Julian had maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h.
PAGASA explained that Julian is weakening due to the “incoming northeasterly wind flow over the East China Sea and Taiwan Strait” as well as the “lower ocean heat content in its vicinity, which is related to upwelling of cooler waters caused by its slow movement for nearly two days.”
Julian was last spotted 270 kilometers west northwest of Itbayat, Batanes — still outside PAR — at 10 pm on Wednesday. It left PAR at 9 am on Tuesday, October 1.
The typhoon decelerated, slowly heading northeast toward Taiwan after moving at a speed of 15 km/h in the afternoon. Taiwan is within PAR.
Julian is set to reenter PAR and make landfall in the southwestern coast of Taiwan on Thursday morning, October 3.
“After landfall, Julian is forecast to move erratically over Taiwan while rapidly weakening due to land interaction,” PAGASA said.
It could emerge over the Taiwan Strait on Friday evening, October 4, as a tropical depression, then eventually become a remnant low. “There is also an increasing chance that Julian will become a remnant low while still over the landmass of Taiwan,” added the weather bureau.
Julian brought moderate to torrential rain to Northern Luzon and parts of Central Luzon at the height of its onslaught. It is no longer expected to trigger rain when it reenters PAR.
Meanwhile, Signal No. 1 is still in effect for Batanes and portions of Babuyan Islands — specifically Babuyan Island, Calayan Island, and Dalupiri Island — as of 11 pm on Wednesday. These areas continue to have strong winds from the typhoon.
The highest tropical cyclone wind signal raised due to Julian was Signal No. 4 in Batanes and part of Babuyan Islands. While Julian did not make landfall, it had passed very close to these areas.
Batanes and Ilocos Norte have both been placed under a state of calamity after Julian left a trail of destruction.
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For coastal waters, very rough seas will persist in the seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands (waves up to 4.5 meters high). Travel is risky for most types of vessels.
Moderate to rough seas are expected in the seaboard of Ilocos Norte (waves up to 4 meters high), the remaining seaboards of the Ilocos Region (waves up to 3.5 meters high), the seaboard of Zambales (waves up to 3 meters high), and the seaboard of mainland Cagayan, the western seaboard of Lubang Island, the western seaboard of Calamian Islands, and the seaboard of Kalayaan Islands (waves up to 2.5 meters high). Small vessels should not venture out to sea.
Julian is the Philippines’ 10th tropical cyclone for 2024 and sixth tropical cyclone for September alone. – Rappler.com