Wind signals lifted as Bising weakens, moves away from PH landmass

Satellite image from Pagasa website

MANILA, Philippines — All Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals have been lifted as Typhoon Bising weakened and moved away from the country’s landmass as of Thursday afternoon, state meteorologists said.

According to latest updates from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Bising was last spotted 390 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes.

Although it remains in a typhoon category, Bising now packs maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, and gustiness of up to 185 kph.

It is moving north northeast at a speed of 15 kph — which means it has started its recurve towards the Pacific Ocean.

Still, Pagasa reminded residents over northern and eastern parts of Luzon that isolated rains and thunderstorms may still be felt in various parts of the country.

On Friday afternoon, Bising is expected to be 765 kilometers east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, and would have regressed to a severe tropical storm.  It would then be 1,115 kilometers east of extreme northern Luzon on Saturday afternoon, by which it would be near the border of the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).

Bising may exit PAR between Saturday evening and Sunday morning, and eventually weaken further as a tropical storm.

For Friday, warmer weather may be expected around the country although the extreme northern Luzon area may be affected by isolated thunderstorms.

Temperatures over Tuguegarao would be around 23 to 30 degrees Celsius, Laoag with 25 to 31 degrees — slightly lower than Metro Manila and Puerto Princesa’s 25 to 33 degrees, Legazpi’s 26 to 32 degrees, and Tagaytay’s 22 to 31 degrees.

Similar conditions will prevail in Visayas and Mindanao, with Iloilo and Cebu having something between 25 to 32 degrees Celsius, Tacloban with 25 to 30 degrees, Zamboanga with 23 to 32 degrees, Cagayan de Oro with 24 to 33 degrees, and Davao with 25 to 34 degrees.

As of now, only the seaboards of Ilocos Norte, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Batanes, and Isabela are under a gale warning, which means small boats are discouraged from setting sail in these areas.

EDV