TS "Chedeng" intensifies into a typhoon

Tropical storm "Chedeng" ("Songda") has intensified into a typhoon as it continues to move near the eastern coast of Luzon.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on its website said that based on their infrared satellite imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite, the storm has a much tighter low-level circulation center than than it did yesterday.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) "Chedeng" has now packed a maximum winds of 130 kph at the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph and is located 350 km east of Catarman, Northern Samar.

Earlier in the day, PAGASA declared Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, and the Samar Provinces to be under signal no. 2. Signal No. 1 has been raised in Marinduque, Masbate, Burias Island, Ticao Island, Southern Quezon, Polilo Island, and Biliran Island.

The National Weather Service considers a weather system to be tropical storm when it has a maximum sustained winds between 62 kph and 117 kph. It is during this time that the distinctive cyclonic shape starts to develop.

A hurricane or typhoon, on one hand, is a system with sustained winds of at least 119 kph. — DBL