MANILA, Philippines — Tropical storm Ambo may develop into a typhoon by Friday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
“Pagdating ng Friday morning, itong sentro ng bagyong Ambo nasa vicinity na ng Ocampo, Camarines Sur (On Friday morning, the center of Ambo will be in the vicinity of Ocampo, Camarines Sur),” Pagasa weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said in a public briefing on Wednesday.
“Inaasahan po natin na lalakas ang bagyo at posibleng maging typhoon ang bagyong Ambo (We expect that tropical storm Ambo will develop into a typhoon),” he added.
The eye or center of Ambo was located 360 kilometers east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar. Moving slowly in the northwest direction, the tropical storm is packing maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 105 kph.
Based on Pagasa’s severe weather bulletin issued at 11 a.m., Ambo is forecast to be located 190 km east northeast of Borongan City, Eastern Samar on Thursday morning; in the vicinity of Ocampo, Camarines Sur on Friday morning; in the vicinity of Banaue, Ifugao on Saturday morning; 20 km west northwest of Basco, Batanes on Sunday; and 935 km northeast of Basco, Batanes on Monday morning.
Aurelio said that on Saturday, Ambo will weaken from a typhoon into a severe tropical storm, and on Sunday will further revert into a tropical storm.
It is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Monday morning.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 is raised over the towns and cities of Calbayog, Sta. Margarita, Gandara, Matuguinao, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, San Jose De Buan, Tarangnan, Catbalogan City, Jiabong, Motiong, San Sebastian, Paranas, and Hinabangan in Northern Samar; as well as Jipapad, Arteche, Maslog, Oras, San Policarpio, Dolores, Can-avid, Taft, Sulat, San Julian, Borongan in the northern portion of Eastern Samar.