Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine” (international name: Trami) gradually decelerated while moving northwestward over Northern Luzon, the state weather bureau said on Thursday.
PAGASA in a 5 a.m. weather bulletin said that “Kristine” is moving west northwestward at 15 kilometers per hour, carrying peak winds of 95 kph and gusts of up to 160 kph.
Its center was last estimated in the vicinity of Tumauini, Isabela.
The weather disturbance is forecast to cross Northern Luzon over the next 12 hours and may emerge over the waters west of Ilocos Region Thursday afternoon or evening.
Severe tropical storm “Kristine” is expected to move west northwestward over the West Philippine Sea and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) region by Friday afternoon.
According to PAGASA, “Kristine” may slightly weaken while crossing Northern Luzon due to land interaction, with downgrading into a tropical storm not ruled out.
“Re-intensification may occur once the tropical cyclone moves over the West Philippine Sea,” it warned.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 is raised over the southern portion of Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, the southern portion of Abra, Benguet, the northern and central portions of Aurora, the northern portion of Nueva Ecija, the northern portion of Tarlac, the northern portion of Zambales, Pangasinan, La Union, and the central and southern portions of Ilocos Sur.
Meanwhile, TCWS No. 2 is hoisted over Ilocos Norte, the rest of Ilocos Sur, Apayao, the rest of Abra, the rest of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, the rest of Aurora, the rest of Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, the rest of Tarlac, Pampanga, the rest of Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Batangas, the northern and central portions of Quezon, Polillo Islands, and Lubang Island.
TCWS No. 1 is assigned to Batanes, the rest of Quezon, the rest of Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, the northern portion of mainland Palawan including Calamian Islands and Cuyo Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Aklan, Capiz, Antique including Caluya Islands, Iloilo, Guimaras, the northern portion of Negros Occidental, the northern portion of Cebu including Bantayan Islands, Northern Samar, Samar, Biliran, the northern portion of Eastern Samar, and the northern portion of Leyte.
By 2 p.m. today, the storm’s center is forecast to be within the vicinity of Mankayan, Benguet.
