By Alec Go
Tropical Depression ‘Obet’ may intensify into a tropical storm as it passes over extreme northern Luzon by Friday evening or early Saturday morning, the country’s weather bureau said Thursday, Oct. 20.
As of 4:00 p.m., ‘Obet’ was 650 kilometers (km) east of Basco, Batanes with maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h and gustiness of up to 55 km/h.
Based on Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (PAGASA) 5:00 p.m. bulletin, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 is still raised over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga).
“Ang critical day natin base sa ating track na tinitingnan ay ito pa rin ngang Friday evening to Saturday early morning, dahil ito nga ang paglapit nito rito sa extreme northern Luzon area,” PAGASA weather forecaster Raymond Ordinario said.
“Sabado babaybay rito sa ating northern Luzon area at lalabas ng ating area of responsibility by Sunday,” he added.
The tropical depression will bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains possible over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Apayao, and the northern portions of Ilocos Norte and mainland Cagayan on Friday morning to Saturday morning.
Light to moderate with at times heavy rains may also prevail over the northern portion of Ilocos Sur, Abra, Kalinga, and the rest of Ilocos Norte and mainland Cagayan.
A gale warning is currently in effect over the seaboards of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan.
