Kiyapo Intensifies to Severe Tropical Storm, Signal No. 3 Upgraded for Babuyan Islands

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) announced on Friday evening that Tropical Cyclone Kiyapo has intensified into a severe tropical storm, leading to the hoisting of Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 over the western portion of the Babuyan Islands. In its 8 p.m. weather bulletin, the state weather bureau said Kiyapo was last located over the coastal waters of Calayan Island in Calayan, Cagayan as of 7 p.m. Kiyapo was packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 130 kph, while moving west-northwestward at 25 kph. TCWS No. 3 was raised over the western portion of the Babuyan Islands, particularly Calayan Island, Dalupiri Island and Fuga Island, where wind speeds of 89 to 117 kph pose a moderate to significant threat to life and property. Meanwhile, TCWS No. 2 was hoisted over the following areas, with potential minor to moderate threat to life and property (62 kph to 88 kph wind speeds): Pagasa said these areas could experience winds of 62 to 88 kph, posing a minor to moderate threat to life and property. The following areas under TCWS No. 1, where wind speeds range from 39 kph to 61 kph with potential minimal to minor threat to life and property: Pagasa also said that Kiyapo is forecast to intensify while moving over the West Philippine Sea, adding that “it may undergo rapid intensification and may reach typhoon category before making landfall over southern mainland China.” The bureau then said that Kiyapo will exit the Philippine area of responsibility by late Friday evening or early Saturday morning.