Tropical Storm Goring continues to maintain its strength and is forecasted to develop into a typhoon on Saturday, according to the State Weather Bureau on Friday, August 25.

In its 11 AM bulletin, PAGASA said Goring was last located 225 kilometers (km) East Southeast of Basco, Batanes, or 270 km East of Calayan, Cagayan.

Goring has maximum sustained winds of 85 km per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 105 kph while accelerating south southwestward at a slow rate.

“Due to highly favorable environment, GORING is forecast to rapidly intensify and may reach typhoon category by tomorrow,” it noted, adding that Goring will reach its peak intensity by Sunday.

PAGASA is not ruling out the possibility that Goring will become a super typhoon.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TWCS) No. 1 remains hoisted in three areas, namely:

• Batanes

• Eastern portion of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Island and Camiguin Island)

• Eastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Lal-Lo, Gattaran, Baggao, Peñablanca, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Camalaniugan, Aparri)

• Eastern portion of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan, Dinapigue, San Mariano, San Pablo, Cabagan, Tumauini, Ilagan City)

“Minimal to minor impacts from strong winds are also possible within any of the areas where Wind Signal No.1 is hoisted,” the state weather bureau noted.

PAGASA said it forecasted that Goring would travel south southwestward or southward over the waters east of Northern Luzon until Saturday evening.

It said that the tropical storm will be moving slowly throughout the forecast period.

Meanwhile, the state weather bureau said the enhanced southwest monsoon will start to cause occasional rains over the western portions of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon on Saturday and over the western portion of Visayas on Sunday.

The state weather bureau raised a coastal gale warning in the coastal waters of Batanes, Babuyan, and the northern coast of mainland Cagayan due to Goring-enhanced strong winds.