MANILA, (PNA) — Tropical Storm “Quedan” has maintained its strength as it continues to move north northwest over the Philippine Sea, the state weather forecaster said on Thursday.
Weather Forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said that as of 4 a.m. the center of tropical storm “Quedan” was estimated to be at 700 km east of Basco, Batanes (19.8°N,129.7°E) packed with maximum sustained winds of 105 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 135 kph.
Aurelio said no public storm warning signal was raised since it is still too far away to directly affect any part of the country.
Aurelio said Quedan is forecast to move north northwest at 11 kph and will likely exit Saturday afternoon headed towards Southern Japan.
He said the cyclone is expected to further intensify before it leaves the Philippine territory.
For Thursday forecast, Aurelio said a weaker southwest monsoon will bring cloudy skies with light to moderate rains in Western Visayas and the provinces of Cagayan, Zambales, Bataan and northern Palawan.
The rest of the country including Metro Manila, he added will continue to have fair weather with partly cloudy skies to at times cloudy with possible thunderstorm rains mostly in the afternoon or evening.
Aurelio also said that the agency issued gale warning as strong to gale force winds associated with Tropical Storm “Quedan” is expected to affect the eastern seaboard of Luzon.
“Fishing boats and other small sea crafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves,” it said
In its advisory, PAGASA said that moderate to strong winds blowing from the north to northwest will prevail over Eastern Luzon and coming from the west over the eastern section of Visayas and of Mindanao. The coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to occasionally rough.
Light to moderate winds coming from the northwest will prevail over the rest of Luzon and from the southwest to west over the rest of the country with slight to moderate seas.