'Santi' on straight path to CLuzon for Saturday landfall

Unlike its zigzagging and pussyfooting predecessor "Ramil", Typhoon Santi is following nearly a straight path towards Central Luzon and is expected to make landfall Saturday morning. But as early as Friday, the Philippine Coast Guard has canceled boat trips from Aurora to Camarines Sur, including ships leaving from Manila's North Harbor, and the Department of Education has suspended classes at the elementary and high school levels. Storm signal number two has been hoisted from Bicol to Central Luzon, suspending commercial boat travel and stranding scores of passengers hoping to be in their hometowns for Undas, or All Souls' Day. But bus travel should still be safe until Friday afternoon, according to Pagasa spokesman Nathaniel Cruz. The fourth cyclone to enter the Philippine area of responsibility since the last week of September, Santi is packing maximum winds of 150kph but is also expected to bring rains to Metro Manila and surrounding provinces, the state weather bureau said Friday morning. Its predecessor Ramil shifted directions several times and kept much of Luzon on edge for over a week before veering away towards Taiwan and eventually Japan. On weather maps, Santi's eye is charging like a bowling ball towards a sure strike on Aurora province. Then it is expected to barrel across Nueva Ecija and Pampanga, provinces hard hit by flooding caused by Ondoy's epic rainfall a month ago. Still reeling but also perhaps learning from the impact of Ondoy, local governments have set up alarm systems, packed relief goods, and started preparing for mass evacuations in case of another disastrous storm.

Santi's location According to Pagasa's 5 a.m. bulletin, Santi was 580 km east-northeast of Infanta, Quezon as of 4 a.m. The cyclone is moving west-southwest at 22 kph and is expected to be 50 km east of Infanta, Quezon and 370 km west of Manila Saturday morning. “Luzon will experience occasional rains and gusty winds with moderate to rough seas becoming stormy over Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog. The rest of the country will have cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and isolated thunderstorms," Pagasa said. Foreign weather agencies such as the US Navy Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) also forecast Santi to pass through central Luzon on Saturday. STORM WARNING SIGNALS

See a more detailed description for each storm warning on Pagasa's website.

CLASSIFICATION OF CYCLONES

When do we call a storm a storm? State weather forecasters use this guide when classifying weather disturbances visiting Philippine territory. 'Santi' has maximum winds of a tropical typhoon. Source: Pagasa

Earlier on Thursday, Pagasa forecasters said they were studying the possibility of recommending yet another round of water release in major dams in Luzon, which were in the direct path of the typhoon. [See: Water release mulled for dams along Santi's path] Santi is the nineteenth weather disturbance to hit the country this year and the fourth cyclone (after Pepeng, Quedan, and Ramil) to enter the Philippine area of responsibility since the last week of September. - GMANews.TV