“Wutip” intensifies into a typhoon; remains outside PAR

“Wutip” is now a typhoon, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said on Friday, Feb. 22./PAGASA/

(Eagle News) — The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration is still monitoring a weather disturbance outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility as it intensified into a typhoon on Friday, Feb. 22.

PAGASA said “Wutip” intensified from a severe tropical storm as of 3 a.m., and was located 2400 kilometers east of Mindanao.

It is packing maximum sustained winds of up to 130 kilometers per hour near the center, and gustiness of up to 160 kilometers per hour, as it moves northwest at 15 kilometers per hour.

According to PAGASA, a northeasterly surface windflow is affecting Luzon and Visayas.

Mindanao will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers caused by localized thunderstorms, while Eastern Visayas will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains.

Palawan, Occidental Mindoro and the rest of Visayas will have partly cloudy skies.

According to PAGASA, moderate to occasionally strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over the eastern section of Visayas, and its coastal waters will be moderate to occasionally rough.

PAGASA said light to moderate winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over Palawan, Occidental Mindoro and the rest of Visayas, which will have slight to moderate seas.

In southern Luzon, PAGASA said partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains will be experienced over Bicol Region and northern Samar, with moderate to occasionally strong winds blowing from the northeast and with moderate to occasionally rough seas.

Partly cloudy skies, PAGASA said, will prevail over Oriental Mindoro, Romblon and Marinduque, which will experience light to moderate winds coming from the northeast and will have slight to moderate seas.

Metro Manila will experience partly cloudy skies and light to moderate winds.

Coastal waters will be slight to moderate, PAGASA said.