MANILA — Waves up to 14 meters high are still possible this week in the waters off Northern Luzon’s northernmost Batanes province despite the exit of tropical storm ‘Isang’ (international name Hato) from the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
“Such danger of sailing there will remain until ‘Isang’ landfalls in China,” said weather forecaster Nikos Peñaranda from Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
He said ‘Isang’ may exit PAR around Tuesday afternoon (Aug. 22), and may make a landfall in China around Wednesday afternoon (Aug. 23).
“PAR’s northwestern boundary is near Batanes so ‘Isang’ will still affect this area even after such storm’s expected exit,” he noted.
PAGASA forecasts 14 meter-high waves in Batanes, expecting 61 kph to 120 kph ‘Isang’ winds that will fan sea turbulence. Batanes is under tropical cyclone warning signal (TCWS) 2.
Neighboring Northern Cagayan, including Babuyan Islands as well as Northern Luzon’s Apayao and Ilocos Norte provinces, are under TCWS 1 as PAGASA forecasts 30 kph to 60 kph winds that can fan waves up to 4.0 meters high.
Peñaranda said storm surges are still possible in Batanes, but noted that the chances are lower because ‘Isang’ has already passed through the area.
In its Severe Weather Bulletin 12 released 4 am Tuesday, PAGASA located ‘Isang’ some 60 km west-northwest of Basco, Batanes.
It then packed maximum sustained winds of 80 kph near its center and gustiness of up to 97 kph. It may move westwards at 20 kph, the weather bureau said.
“We don’t expect ‘Isang’ to linger for days in the Batanes area,” noted Peñaranda.
He said the tropical storm will continue enhancing the southwest monsoon or ‘habagat’ while this storm is moving away from the country.
The enhanced ‘habagat’ may bring light to heavy rains over Visayas, said PAGASA. Such rains are also possible in the rest of Luzon particularly on the island’s western section and Cordillera Administrative Region.
PAGASA warned anew the expected rains may trigger, in the Visayas and Luzon, landslides and flash floods.
Citing latest available data, PAGASA forecasts ‘Isang’ to be 615 km northwest of Ilocos Norte’s capital Laoag City by Wednesday morning — already outside PAR. PNA-northboundasia.com