Tropical storm Santi (International name: NARI) is expected to pass north of the Bicol region as it threatens Central and Northern Luzon. Its outermost and southwestern rainbands are now spreading across Catanduanes and the Partido District of Camarines Sur.
At 5:00 am today, the center of Santi was located over the Central Philippine Sea at about 430 km east-northeast of Pandan, Catanduanes or 655 km east-southeast of Casiguran, Aurora. It is currently moving northwest with an increased forward speed of 15 km/hr towards Central & Northern Luzon.
Maximum Sustained Winds (1-min. avg) have increased to 100 km/hr near the center with higher gusts. Tropical Storm Force Winds (63-117 km/hr) extend outward up to 95 kilometers from the center.
Nari (Santi) is an average-sized tropical cyclone with a diameter of 665 kilometers across.
The 24-hour rainfall accumulation near the center of Nari (Santi) is estimated to be extreme (300 mm) and flashfloods are threats to areas within 300 kilometers of its diameter.
Tropical storm Santi is expected to move west-northwest in the next 24 hours and turn westerly 48 hours from now.
On the forecast track, the core of Nari (Santi) will continue to be over the Central Philippine Sea, passing well to the north of Bicol Region on Friday afternoon.
By Saturday morning, Nari (Santi) will make landfall over Aurora somewhere along the towns of Casiguran and Baler between 6:00 to 8:00 am.
At 11 AM today, storm signal was raised over 6 Luzon provinces: Catanduanes, Camarines Sur,Camarines Norte, Isabela, Aurora and Quezon. (From typhoon2000.com)