As Typhoon Ompong entered Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday (September 12), the state weather bureau has issued a gale warning prohibiting small vessels to travel in affected areas in the Visayas.
Ompong, with a maximum sustained winds of 205 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness up to 255 kph is moving westward towards northern Luzon, as of 5 a.m update of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) Mactan on Thursday (September 13).
Mactan Weather Specialist Romeo Aguirre said PAGASA has issued gale warnings to the eastern seaboard of Samar and Southern Leyte, as the weather disturbance has brought moderate to strong winds of 41 to 63 kph.
Aguirre explained this would result to moderate to rough sea conditions with waves expected to reach up to 2.8 meters.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Cebu Station announced the cancellation of all trips from Cebu starting at 12 p.m.
Cebu is expected to experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers due to the trough or extension of Typhoon Ompong and intensified southwest monsoon Habagat on Thursday.