State weather forecasters said 40 areas, including Metro Manila, were placed under storm signals after Tropical Storm Pedring (international name: Nesat) intensified into a typhoon before noon on Monday. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said as of 11:00 a.m. on Monday, 26 areas were placed under Storm Signal No. 1 while 14 others were placed under Storm Signal No. 2. PAGASA also said Pedring was moving faster and is expected to make landfall over northern Luzon on Tuesday morning. "Bahagyang nagbago at bumilis (si Pedring). Before noon ang landfall, tomorrow umaga pa lang expected ay tatama na sa kalupaan ng Aurora," PAGASA weather officer-in-charge Robert Sawi said. PAGASA estimated 15 to 25 millimeter per hour of rainfall within the 650-kilometer (km) diameter of Pedring.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Storm signals Under Storm Signal No. 2 are:
Catanduanes Sorsogon Albay Burias Island Camarines Sur Camarines Norte Quezon Polillo Island Aurora Quirino Nueva Vizcaya Isabela Ifugao Cagayan Under Storm Signal No. 1 are: Metro Manila Masbate Ticao Island Marinduque Batangas Laguna Rizal Cavite Bulacan Pampanga Nueva Ecija Tarlac Bataan Zambales Pangasinan La Union Benguet Mountain Province Ilocos Sur Ilocos Norte Abra Kalinga Apayao Calayan Group of Islands Babuyan Group of Islands Northern Samar Location of Pedring As of 10:00 a.m. on Monday, PAGASA said Pedring was 350 km east southeast of Casiguran, Aurora, packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph. It is forecast to move west northwest at 17 kph and is expected to be in the vicinity of Casiguran, Aurora Tuesday morning. By Wednesday morning, it is expected to be 180 km west northwest of Sinait, Ilocos Sur. By Thursday morning, it is expected to be 540 km west northwest of Sinait, Ilocos Sur. Classes in Metro Manila were suspended and several flights were canceled due to to the approaching storm. Serious threat? According to meteorologist Eric Leister of accuweather.com, the storm poses "a serious threat" in the northern Philippines due to local weather conditions. "Nesat is heading into an environment favorable for additional strengthening. The cyclone is forecast to become a powerful typhoon as it moves west-northwestward during the next couple of days," he wrote. "On its projected course, Nesat poses a serious threat to the northern Philippines where landfall would happen in northeastern Luzon Island by late Monday or Monday night," he added. "At the time, Nesat could be the equivalent of a category four hurricane with maximum sustained winds potentially over 140 mph and peak gusts perhaps reaching 160 mph." In its advisory, PAGASA reminded residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under storm signals to be alert against possible flash floods and landslides, and those living in coastal areas to be ready for storm surges. PAGASA said Pedring is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring scattered to widespread rains over southern Luzon and the Visayas. — RSJ/VVP/YA, GMA News 
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