Typhoon Marce expected to intensify before landfall Thursday

Track and intensity forecast of Typhoon Marce (international name: Yinxing) Image from Pagasa / Facebook

MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Marce (international name: Yinxing) is expected to intensify as it approaches the Babuyan Islands or Cagayan, with landfall anticipated on Thursday afternoon or evening, the state weather bureau said on Tuesday.

In its 5 p.m. weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) also said that Marce “may also reach its peak intensity before making landfall.”

Further, Pagasa said that Marce was last spotted 480 kilometers east of Echague in Isabela. It slightly intensified as it was seen packing maximum wind speed of 130 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 160 kph.

Marce was moving northwestward at 25 kph.

In an earlier bulletin, Marce was seen carrying maximum sustained winds of 120 kph and gustiness of up to 150 kph.

READ: Marce now a typhoon; Signal No. 1 up in 12 Luzon areas

Pagasa added that Marce is “forecast to move generally west northwestward today until tomorrow (November 6) before decelerating and turning westward over the Philippine Sea east of Extreme Northern Luzon.”

The typhoon is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Friday afternoon or evening.

Gale warning is also up over the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon.