WEEKEND WEATHER
After days of heavy rain, Cebu will experience improved weather conditions over the weekend, as tropical storm Odette began to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) last night.
According to Pagasa Mactan weather specialist Al Quiblat, Cebu will have cloudy and sunny periods with light to moderate rains over the weekend, while coastal waters may be rough.
Quiblat warned small vessels against going out at sea as the waters, he said, could possibly reach 2.5 meters while winds will be moderate to strong.
“Odette” (international name Khanun) intensified into a severe tropical storm on Friday afternoon as it headed towards the West Philippine Sea.
The weather bureau placed under Signal No. 1 the following areas:
Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Sur
La Union
Pangasinan
Batanes
Babuyan Group of Islands.
According to Pagasa, Odette packed maximum sustained winds of 90 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 113 kph.
Pagasa also estimated the tropical storm’s rainfall amount from moderate to heavy within its 400-kilometer diameter.
Moderate to occasionally heavy rains is expected over the provinces of Zambales and Bataan, Pagasa noted.
Additionally, the weather bureau said Odette slightly slowed down, moving west-northwest at 15 kph. It was last observed 205 kilometers west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur.
Pagasa projected Odette would exit the Philippine area of responsibility between Friday night and Saturday morning.
Pagasa said sea travel remains risky over the seaboards of Northern Luzon, seaboards of Western and Southern Luzon due to the passage of Odette.
In Cebu, Pagasa Mactan said winds of up to 42 kph were experienced yesterday.
But while weather conditions may improve this weekend, Pagasa spotted another low pressure area about to enter PAR.
“Posibleng naay mosulod next week nga bagyo mga Miyerkules o Huwebes (It’s possible that another storm will enter next week, probably on Wednesday or Thursday),” Quiblat said.
The storm will be named Paulo. /with reports from Inquirer.net