MANILA — Typhoon Gardo might exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Monday.
In the latest weather forecast released Monday, PAGASA weather specialist Ariel Rojas said the typhoon would “leave the PAR on Wednesday morning if it maintains its track”.
Currently, Gardo is strengthening the southwest monsoon, bringing scattered rains and thunderstorms in Metro Manila, MIMAROPA, CALABARZON, Bicol region, Western Visayas, Bataan, and Zambales.
PAGASA also cautioned of possible flash floods or landslides in these areas due to light to moderate with at times heavy rains within the next 48 hours.
The eye of the typhoon was last spotted 1,020 kilometers east-northeast of Basco, Batanes.
The typhoon, which is moving west-northwest at 30 km per hour, is packing maximum sustained winds of 185 km per hour near the center, and gustiness of up to 225 km per hour.
Other areas will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers caused by local thunderstorms. The state weather bureau similarly warned of possible flash floods or landslides due to light to moderate with at times heavy rains in these areas.
He further said a gale warning was issued in Batanes, Babuyan group of islands, Cagayan, and Isabela.
PAGASA also forecasts a rough to very rough coastal water in the northern and eastern section of northern Luzon due to strong to gale force winds blowing from the northeast to east.
Luzon and western Visayas, meanwhile, will have moderate to rough coastal waters caused by moderate to strong winds coming from the southwest to south. Other areas will have slight to moderate coastal waters brought by light to moderate winds from the southwest to west.
The state weather bureau also sees a temperature range of 17-32°C until Friday.
PAGASA forecasts light to moderate rains in the western part of the country on Tuesday, while it sees heavy rains in Mindoro and Palawan by Wednesday.
On Monday, PAGASA recorded a peak temperature of 31.1°C and a minimum temperature of 25.3°C. (Juzel Danganan/PNA)