MANILA, (PNA) — Expect cloudy skies with light rains in most parts of the country in the next two to three days as tropical storm “Odette” (Usagi) maintains its strength and remains almost stationary, the state weather bureau said on Tuesday.
Weather Forecaster Samuel Duran said that as of 4 p.m. Tuesday, tropical storm Odette was located at 815 km East of Tuguegarao City (17.5°N, 130.5°E) packed with maximum winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.
Duran said that Odette is expected to remain almost stationary within the next 24-36 hours.
With this development, PAGASA said public storm warning signal no. 1 is now lifted over Cagayan Province including Calayan and Babuyan Group of Islands.
With the stationary movement westward, Duran said, it is expected to make a landfall in Cagayan Province and Isabela by Friday or Saturday.
Duran also said that Odette continues to enhance the Southwest Monsoon that will bring light to moderate rains and thunderstorms over the western sections of Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
The estimated rainfall amount is from 15-20 mm per hour (heavy – intense) within the 350 km diameter of the tropical storm.
The tropical storm will linger in the country due to its slow movement.
“Yung nagpapabagal sa bagyong Odette dahil may weather disturbance sa west Philippine sea na ayon sa Japan Meteorological Agency ay isang ganap na bagyo at isa pang nagpapabagal ay dahil may high pressure area sa itaas,” he explained.
“Odette” was forecast to be at 790 km East of Tuguegarao City by Wednesday afternoon:
By Thursday afternoon it is predicted to be at 630 km East of Tuguegarao City and 300 km East of Aparri, Cagayan by Friday afternoon.
In its advisory, PAGASA said that provinces of Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, and Mindoro will experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms which may trigger flashfloods and landslides.
The rest of Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers while the rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudywith isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms.
PAGASA warned that sea travel is risky over the seaboards of Occidental Mindoro and Palawan.