Severe Tropical Storm Nika maintained its strength early Monday over the sea east of Aurora province, sparing Mindoro provinces and Mimaropa region from its direct impact as it tracks toward northern Luzon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported at 2 a.m. that Nika was located 190 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora, or 145 kilometers east-southeast of Casiguran, Aurora, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kph and gustiness up to 135 kph.

The weather bureau has not raised any tropical cyclone wind signals over Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro, or any part of the Mimaropa region. The storm’s winds extend up to 340 kilometers from its center.

PAGASA forecasts Nika to make landfall over Isabela or northern Aurora this morning before traversing mainland Luzon and emerging over the sea west of Ilocos Sur tonight.

The storm is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Tuesday morning or afternoon.

The weather disturbance is predicted to intensify into a typhoon within the next 12 hours, potentially reaching peak intensity before landfall.