Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine” (international name: Trami) maintained its strength and is now accelerating west northwestward over the sea west of Northern Luzon, the state weather bureau said on Friday.
PAGASA in an 5 am weather advisory, said that “Kristine” is moving west northwestward at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour with maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour near the center and packing gusts of up to 115 kilometers per hour.
Its center was last estimated at 125 km west northwest of Bacnotan, La Union.
“There is a minimal to moderate risk of storm surge with peak heights of around 1.0 to 2.0 m above normal tide levels in the next 48 hours over the low-lying or exposed coastal localities of Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, and Zambales,” PAGASA warned.
The weather disturbance is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday afternoon.
Based on a developing forecast situation, however, “Kristine” will be looping over the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Sunday and Monday and move generally eastward towards the general direction of the PAR region.
This scenario, according to PAGASA, depends on the movement of the tropical cyclone east of PAR. “Kristine” will also undergo a short period of intensification as it moves over to WPS.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 is hoisted over Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, the northern portion of Cavite, the northern portion of Rizal, and the northern portion of mainland Quezon.
Meanwhile, TCWS No. 1 is raised over Batanes, the rest of Rizal, the rest of Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, the rest of Quezon including Polillo Islands, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, the northern portion of mainland Palawan including Calamian, Cuyo, and, Kalayaan Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, the northern and central portions of Sorsogon, the northern and central portions of Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Aklan, Capiz, Antique including Caluya Islands, and the northwestern portion of Iloilo.
“While it is likely that the tropical cyclone will remain a severe tropical storm in the next five days, the chance for it to be upgraded into a typhoon is not ruled out.”
