Quinta intensifies further; Tuesday morning PAR exit expected

Quinta (international name Molave) intensified further on Monday evening, even as weather service PAGASA predicted that the typhoon would exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Tuesday morning.

At 10 p.m., Quinta 420 kilometers West of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro with 140 kilometer per hour winds that can gust up to 170 kph.

However, Quinta was likely to intensify even further as it crossed the West Philippine Sea and would reach peak intensity within the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, with Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 raised over just three areas (Lubang Island, the Calamian Islands, and the Kalayaan Islands), moderate to heavy with at times intense rain could still be expected over:

• the Western Visayas,
• Occidental Mindoro,
• Oriental Mindoro,
• Palawan including the Calamian, Cuyo, and Kalayaan Islands,
• Quezon,
• Aurora,
• Isabela, and
• Cagayan.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rain could also be expected over:

• the Zamboanga Peninsula,
• Bangsamoro,
• Northern Mindanao,
• Caraga, and
• the rest of Luzon and the Visayas.

PAGASA advised affected residents to prepare for possible flash floods and landslides during heavy or prolonged rainfall.

Furthermore, strong breeze to near gale conditions would also be experienced in areas under TCWS No. 1.

In other areas, strong breeze to gale conditions associated with the northeasterlies would prevail in the Batanes, northern Cagayan including the Babuyan Islands, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte, while occasional gusts associated with the outer circulation of Quinta will still be experienced over MIMAROPA, the Western Visayas, and the western section of Luzon.

PAGASA also warned of heavy swells of two to four meters due to Quinta, which can cause significant breaking waves that may bring potentially hazardous surf conditions over the western coastal areas of Pangasinan, Central Luzon, Occidental Mindoro, and Palawan including the Calamian Islands.

Moreover, rough to very rough seas will prevail over the seaboards of northern Luzon, Central Luzon, and Palawan including the Calamian, Cuyo and Kalayaan Islands, and the western seaboards of Western Visayas, Batangas, and Occidental Mindoro.

“Sea travel is risky over these waters especially for mariners of small seacrafts,” PAGASA warned.

Moderate to rough seas would also be experienced over the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon and the western seaboards of the Zamboanga Peninsula and the Sulu Archipelago.

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

With Quinta moving westwards at 25 kph, the typhoon was expected to be 430 kms north-northwest of Kalayaan, Palawan, and outside the PAR, by Tuesday evening. — DVM, GMA News