Source: Pagasa / DOST
MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Ulysses was able to maintain its strength as it moves closer to the western border of the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), state meteorologists said on Thursday night.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Ulysses was last seen 300 kilometers west of Iba town in Zambales. It still packs maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 150 kph.
It is still moving west at a speed of 20 kph.
Pagasa expects that Ulysses would leave PAR between Friday morning and afternoon, and eventually move towards Vietnam. In 24 hours or by Friday night it is predicted to be 725 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales.
All Tropical Cyclone Warning Signals have been lifted, but the weather bureau warned that strong winds and occasional rains may still be felt in several areas.
In particular, areas in Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, and northern Occidental Mindoro including the Lubang Island would still feel gusty winds, due to combined effects of Ulysses and the northeast monsoon or amihan.
Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains may still persist over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, northern and eastern portions of mainland Cagayan, eastern portion of Isabela, northern and central portions of Aurora, Quirino, and Apayao.
On the other hand, Ilocos Region, the rest of CAR, the rest of Cagayan Valley, the rest of Aurora, the northern portion of Quezon including Polillo Islands, Zambales, and Bataan will feel light to moderate rains with at times heavy showers.
Due to the winds from the typhoon and amihan, a gale warning is placed over the whole northern and western seaboards of Luzon — from northern coasts of Cagayan to Ilocos Region, down to Central Luzon and then Southern Luzon including Palawan.
As sea condition in these areas may be rough to very rough, with wave heights possibly reaching 2.5 meters to 5.5 meters, fisherfolk and boat transfer operators using small boats are not allowed to set sail in these areas.