Signal no. 1 raised over Kalayaan islands; only light to moderate rains expected Sunday
(Eagle News) – Typhoon Odette (international name Rai) continued to intensify over the West Philippine Sea, with maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 240 km/hr.
The typhoon, however, is already outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). The center of the typhoon’s eye was located at 320 kilometers northwest of Pag-asa Island in Kalayaan, Palawan.
Because of this, the Kalayaan group of islands is under signal no. 1, but this could be lifted before noon today, according to PAGASA’s weather bulletin issued at 5 a.m. today, Sunday, December 19.
Odette is moving west northwestward at 25 km/hr. It would move generally northeastward for the remainder of the forecast period over the sea areas east of central Vietnam and Hainan Island.
-Weather forecast-
The Bicol Region, Quezon, and Kalayaan Islands will generally experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms today, Sunday, Dec. 19, due to the Shear Line and effects of typhoon Odette. Because of this, there could be flash floods or landslides due to moderate to at times heavy rains in these areas, according to PAGASA.
Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley and the rest of CALABARZON are forecast to have cloudy skies with rains due to the northeast monsoon.
The Ilocos Region and Cordillera Administrative Region will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains due to the northeast monsoon.
The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms. But PAGASA warned that there could be flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms.
“In the next 24 hours, rough to very high seas (3.4 to 12.0 m) will be experienced over the seaboard of Kalayaan Islands. These conditions are risky for all types of sea vessels,” PAGASA said.
“Mariners are advised to remain in port or take shelter in port until winds and waves subside,” it said.
Under the influence of Typhoon “Odette” and the prevailing Northeast Monsoon, a Gale Warning remains in effect for the seaboards of Northern Luzon, and the eastern and western seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon.
The typhoon “may still intensify within the next 12 hours.”
Afterwards, due to its gradual exposure to cooler sea surface temperatures in the northwestern portion of the West Philippine Sea, increasing vertical wind shear, and the surge of the Northeast Monsoon, this could cause a weakening trend.
Because of this “Odette” is forecast to be downgraded to severe tropical storm category by tomorrow afternoon or evening, PAGASA said.
(Eagle News Service)