MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Hagibis is heading toward the southern tip of Japan, further diminishing the possibility that it will enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), the state weather bureau said Thursday morning.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its latest weather bulletin that “Hagibis” is curving to the north.
“The good news with our latest analysis is that the typhoon now has a lower chance of entering PAR and it slowly turns north, towards Japan’s landmass,” weather Specialist Loriedin dela Cruz said.
READ: Typhoon Hagibis expected to spare Philippines – Pagasa
As of 4:00 a.m., “Hagibis” was spotted 1,845 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes, packing a maximum sustained wind speed of 200 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, and gustiness of up to 245 kph.
Fair weather is expected in most parts of the country, except in the Bicol Region and several areas in Visayas, where cloudy skies and moderate rainfall are expected.
Pagasa also issued a gale warning in the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon, covering Batanes, Calayan, Babuyan islands, northern part of Ilocos Norte, Aurora, Quezon including Polilio Islands, Camarines provinces and Catanduanes, as waves as high as 2.8 to 4.5 meters are possible. /gsg