MANILA, Dec. 8 (PNA) — The government weather agency is expecting storm ‘Ruby’ (international name ‘Hagupit’) to weaken further before reaching the West Philippine Sea.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) made the forecast Monday , noting latest available data indicate ‘Ruby’ as likely passing over more land across Southern Luzon on its way towards the West Philippine Sea, with less chance for the storm to re-intensify.
“The intensity of ‘Ruby’ is lessening – we expect this storm to weaken further as it’s forecast to pass over bigger landmass,” said PAGASA weather specialist Jori Loiz.
Experts noted tropical cyclones like typhoons and storms draw energy from water in seas and oceans.
PAGASA downgraded the category of ‘Ruby’ from typhoon to storm, reporting its maximum sustained winds declined from 215 kilometers per hour last week to 105 kilometers per hour as of 11 a.m. Monday (Dec. 8) with gustiness of up to 135 kilometers per hour.
Earlier, PAGASA forecaster Cris Perez said the island-hopping ‘Ruby’ began weakening as winds from the prevailing northeast monsoon or ‘amihan’ already commenced mixing with this storm’s circulation.
‘Amihan’ winds are cold and dry while tropical cyclones need warm, moist air to intensify, he noted.
In its 5 p.m. 24-hour public weather forecast issued Monday, PAGASA reported ‘Ruby’ further lost steam as this storm’s maximum sustained winds declined to 85 kph near the center while its gustiness also reached up to 100 kilometers per hour.
According to PAGASA, the eye of ‘Ruby’ as of 4:00 p.m. Monday was at 15 kilometers southeast of Laiya, Batangas province.
PAGASA said ‘Ruby’ already made landfall in Laiya at 5:45 p.m. Monday.
Forecast in Batangas and areas along the storm’s path are rain and winds 61 to 100 kilometers per hour, noted Loiz.
The agency expects ‘Ruby’ to cross southern Luzon on its way to West Philippine Sea.
‘Ruby’ is forecast to move west-northwest at 13 kilometers per hour, noted PAGASA.
Loiz said PAGASA expects ‘Ruby’ to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday night (Dec. 10).
He also said the landfall at Laiya might well be the last for ‘Ruby’ as PAGASA sees no indication ‘Ruby’ might recurve while in the West Philippine Sea.
In its 5 p.m. forecast, PAGASA noted “Metro Manila, Calabarzon and the provinces of Bataan, Marinduque, Northern Oriental Mindoro including Lubang Island will experience stormy weather while the provinces of Zambales, Pampanga, Tarlac, Bulacan, Rizal, Romblon and the rest of Quezon and of Mindoro will have rains with gusty windswith moderate to rough seas.”
PAGASA noted the rest of Luzon and the Visayas “will have cloudyskies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms.”
” Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolatedrainshowers or thunderstorms,” PAGASA also said. (PNA)