Satellite image of Typhoon Maria, located outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, as of July 8, 2018, 10:30 am
Cebu will not be affected by the looming typhoon that is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) today, Monday, said the state weather bureau on Mactan Island on Sunday.
Joey Figuracion, weather specialist of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Mactan, said the weather disturbance (international name Maria) is seen hovering about 1,820 kilometer northeast of Luzon, as of 12 p.m. yesterday.
According to Pagasa, typhoon Maria is moving in a northwest direction with a maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 225 kph, affecting northern Luzon particularly Batanes.
Once it enters PAR, it will be named “Gardo,” the seventh tropical cyclone to enter the country this year.
Figuracion said the weather disturbance would less likely make a landfall but may enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat, which will bring
occasional rains in Metro Manila, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon provinces), Central Luzon, and the rest of Western Visayas.
Cebu, however, will still experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies and isolated rainshower due to localized thunderstorm.
He advised the public to take precautionary measures and constantly monitor for weather updates.
The tropical cyclone is expected to exit the country on Wednesday and will head to Taiwan.