MANILA – Tropical depression “Julian” has intensified and is set to go near the Batanes-Babuyan area on Thursday morning, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

PAGASA said signal number 1 remains hoisted over Batanes, Northern Cagayan including Babuyan Group of Islands, Apayao and Ilocos Norte. These areas shall experience 30 to 60 kilometers per hour of winds in 36 hours.

PAGASA said Julian was spotted 305 km east southeast of Basco, Batanes as of 4 p.m. today.

Julian was packing maximum sustained winds of up to 55 kph near the center and gusts of up to 70 kph. PAGASA said moderate to occasionally heavy rains are expected within Julian’s 300-kilometer diameter.

PAGASA said Julian will be 180 km west of Basco, Batanes on Thursday afternoon and 520 kms west of Basco, Batanes – already outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility – on Friday afternoon.