Opong exits Philippine Area of Responsibility

Typhoon Opong (international name: Bualoi) exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday morning, PAGASA said in its 11 a.m. bulletin.

At 10 a.m., Opong's center was estimated to be at 645 km west of Sangley Point, Cavite City, Cavite.

PAGASA said no more tropical cyclone wind signals were in effect.

Opong was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h near the center, and with gustiness of up to 150 km/h and central pressure of 970 hPa.

The typhoon was moving west northwestward at 35 km/h towards northern Vietnam.

From Opong's center, strong to typhoon-force winds were extending outwards up to 400 km.

At 11 p.m. on Saturday, Opong is expected to be at 855 km west of Central Luzon outside PAR.

By 11 a.m. on Sunday, the typhoon is forecast to be at 1,160 km west of Northern Luzon outside PAR.

Habagat, coastal waters

Meanwhile, Opong has enhanced the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat), PAGASA said.

The monsoon will bring strong to gale-force gusts in Luzon, Western Visayas, and Negros Occidental, especially in coastal and upland areas exposed to winds.

Coastal waters will be rough over the following areas, the weather bureau said:

• seaboards of Lubang Island and Kalayaan Islands - up to 3.5 m
• seaboards of Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, and Zambales; the western seaboards of Bataan, Calamian Islands, and Northern Palawan - up to 3.0 m

"Mariners of small seacrafts, including all types of motorbancas, are advised not to venture out to sea under these conditions, especially if inexperienced of operating ill-equipped vessels," PAGASA said.

Meanwhile, moderate seas of up to 2.5 m may be expected over the coastal waters in the eastern seaboards of Aurora; the northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands; the western seaboards of Occidental Mindoro and Palawan.

"Mariners of motorbancas and similarly-sized vessels are advised to take precautionary measures while venturing out to sea and, if possible, avoid navigation under these conditions," PAGASA said. —KG, GMA Integrated News