“Ambo” weakens into severe tropical storm; Signal No. 2 still hoisted over M. Manila, other areas

(Eagle News) — “Ambo” has weakened into a severe tropical storm as it continues to move towards the Northern Quezon-Laguna area on Friday afternoon.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said as of 1 p.m., the center of “Ambo” was  inthe vicinity of Agdangan, Quezon.

It is moving northwestward at 20 kph, packing maximum sustained winds of up to 110 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph.

PAGASA said the tropical cyclone wind signal number 3 hoisted previously over several areas has been lifted.

Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, La Union, Ifugao, Mt. Province, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija,Aurora, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Metro Manila, Laguna, the eastern portion of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Natividad, San Quintin, Umingan, Balungao, Sta. Maria, Tayug, Asingan, San Manuel, Binalonan, Laoac, Urdaneta, Villasis, Rosales, Sto. Tomas, Alcala, Bautista, Bayambang, Urbiztondo, Basista, Malasiqui, Sta. Barbara, Manaoag, Mapandan, San Jacinto, San Fabian, Pozorrubio, Sison, Mangaldan, Dagupan, Calasiao, Binmaley, Lingayen, Bugallon, Aguilar, San Carlos, Mangatarem), the western portion of Isabela (Quezon, Mallig, Roxas, Quirino, San Manuel, Burgos, Gamu, Reina Mercedes, Aurora, Luna, Cabatuan, Naguilian, Benito Soliven, Cauayan, San Guillermo, Dinapugue, San Mateo, Alicia, Angadanan, Ramon, San Isidro, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, Santiago, Cordon), Cavite, Quezon including Pollilo Islands, Camarines Norte, western portion of Camarines Sur (Del Gallego, Ragay, Lupi, Sipocot), Marinduque, and Batangas, however, are under Signal No. 2, which means they will experience “strong to damaging gale/storm-force winds during the passage of the typhoon.”

Signal No. 1 is hoisted over Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Batanes, the rest of Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Oriental Mindoro, Burias Island, the rest of Camarines Sur, and the northern portion of Albay (Tiwi, Malinao,Tabaco, Polangui, Libon, Oas, Ligao, Guinobatan, Pio Duran.

Sea travel is risky for all types of seacraft over the seaboards of areas under tropical cyclone wind signals.