All signals lifted as Ulysses moves westward

All Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals in the Philippines have been lifted as typhoon Ulysses maintains its strength while moving westward, PAGASA announced Thursday evening.

In its 11 p.m. Severe Weather Bulletin, the weather agency said that despite this, Ulysses and the surge of the northeast monsoon will bring gusty conditions over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, and northern Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island.

As of 10 p.m. on Thursday, the center of Ulysses was located at 300 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph and moving westward at 20 kph.

PAGASA said Ulysses is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Friday morning. The typhoon is likely to maintain its strength for the next 24 hours and then weaken into a severe tropical storm in the next 36 to 48 hours.

Heavy rainfall

From Thursday night to noontime on Friday, moderate to heavy with, at times, intense rains may prevail over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, northern and eastern portions of mainland Cagayan, the eastern portion of Isabela, the northern and central portions of Aurora, Quirino, and Apayao.

Meanwhile, light to moderate with, at times, heavy rains are expected over the Ilocos Region, the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, the rest of Cagayan Valley, the rest of Aurora, the northern portion of Quezon including Polillo Islands, Zambales, and Bataan.

“Flooding (including flash floods), rain-induced landslides, and sediment-laden streamflows may occur during heavy or prolonged rainfall,” PAGASA said.

Effects on coastal waters

PAGASA said that rough to very rough seas are expected over the seaboards of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, and Zambales, the northern seaboard of mainland Cagayan, and the western seaboards of Bataan, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island, and Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands.

The weather bureau warned that sea travel is risky. Moderate to rough seas may prevail over the eastern seaboards of Luzon.

“Mariners of small seacrafts are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions,” PAGASA said.

The next severe weather bulletin will be issued at 11 a.m. on Friday. -- BAP, GMA News