PAGASA says Ramil to exit PAR, storm signal still up in six areas

Storm signals remain hoisted over six areas in Northern Luzon as tropical Storm Ramil is poised to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Monday morning, the state weather bureau said.

In its 5 a.m. tropical cyclone bulletin on Oct. 20, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Ramil (international name: Fengshen) was spotted 350 kilometers west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur as of 4 a.m.

The tropical storm is moving northwestward at 25 km/h, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center, with gustiness of up to 80 km/h, and central pressure of 998 hPa.

Ramil is forecast to continue moving west northwestward over the West Philippine Sea and exit the PAR on Monday morning.

PAGASA said Ramil may intensify while over the West Philippine Sea and is forecast to reach severe tropical storm category once outside the PAR.

Tropical cyclone wind signal No.1 is in effect the following areas in Northern Luzon, where winds of 39 to 61 km/h and intermittent rains may be expected in at least 36 hours:

• Ilocos Norte,
• Ilocos Sur,
• La Union,
• The northern and western portions of Pangasinan (Sual, Mabini, Dasol, Burgos, Agno, Bani, Bolinao, City of Alaminos, Anda, Infanta, Labrador, Lingayen, San Fabian, Dagupan City, Binmaley, Bugallon, Sison, Mangaldan, San Jacinto, and Pozorrubio),
• Abra, and
• The western portion of Benguet (Bakun, Kibungan, Kapangan, Tublay, La Trinidad, Baguio City, Tuba and Sablan).

Earlier in its 2 a.m. advisory on Monday, the state weather bureau issued a storm surge warning for several low-lying coastal areas in Bataan, La Union, Pangasinan, and Zambales.

Meanwhile, PAGASA said Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, and Palawan will experience cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms due to the trough of the exiting tropical storm.

In its 4 a.m. public weather forecast, the state weather bureau said the rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms caused by the easterlies.

The rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms.

Wind conditions in Northern Luzon will be moderate to strong while coastal water conditions will be moderate to rough.

The rest of the country will have light to moderate winds while coastal water conditions will be slight to moderate.

Sunrise on Oct. 20 is at 5:48 a.m. while sunset is at 5:33 p.m. — JMA, GMA Integrated News