TS Marce moving away from PHL toward Vietnam

Tropical Storm Marce (Gaemi) changed course early Thursday and has already started moving away from the Philippines, with weather forecasters saying it may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Friday afternoon.

 

"TS Marce has started its westward drift and is now expected to move towards Vietnam and away from Luzon.  Public storm warning signal 1 is now lowered. Weather conditions in the country will greatly improve this coming weekend as Marce moves further away," explained GMA resident meteorologist Nathaniel "Mang Tani" Cruz.

 

PAGASA forecaster Anthony Lucero said Marce will still affect the Philippines even after exiting the PAR as it can still enhance the southwest monsoon.

 

"Lalabas ito by (Friday) afternoon (pero) meron pa ring (epekto) sa Pilipinas. Hindi naman sobrang layo nito sa atin, patuloy nito palalakasin ang hanging habagat na magiging dahilan ng pagtaas ng alon at ulap na mabuo na maaring magdulot ng kaulanan," Lucero said in an interview on dzBB radio.

 

He also said that Marce, by changing course and moving away from the Philippines, is no longer likely to make landfall.

 

Lucero said Marce appeared to be heading in the direction of Vietnam.

 

Thursday weather

 

For Thursday, he said PAGASA still expects rain on Metro Manila and several parts of Luzon, especially in the afternoon and evening.

 

PAGASA's 5 a.m. advisory indicated that as of 4 a.m., Marce was estimated at 300 km west of Iba, Zambales, with maximum sustained winds of 95 kph near the center and gustiness of up 120 kph.

 

It said Marce was moving west at 5 kph and is expected to be 420 km west of Iba, Zambales and outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

 

By Saturday morning, it is expected to be 580 km west of Iba, Zambales.

 

No more public storm signals were raised as of Thursday morning.

 

Intense rain

 

PAGASA said Marce may still bring rainfall of 10 to 25 mm per hour (heavy to intense) within its 400-km diameter.

 

It added Marce will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon which will bring occasional moderate to heavy rains over MIMAROPA, Calabarzon and Visayas.

 

"Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Visayas will be cloudy with occasional moderate to heavy rain and thunderstorms. Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Bicol and the Zamboanga Peninsula will have occasional light to moderate rain or thunderstorms," PAGASA said.

 

The rest of the country will be partly cloudy with brief rain showers or thunderstorms, it added.

 

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast to east will prevail over the Cagayan Valley and Ilocos region and coming from the southwest to south over Western Visayas and the rest of Luzon.

 

The coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough.

 

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the southwest to west with slight to moderate seas.

 

Gale warning

 

PAGASA said strong to gale force winds enhanced by Tropical Storm Marce may affect the western seaboard of Luzon and Visayas.

 

"Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves," it said. — TJD, GMA News