‘Lawin’ slows down, dumps heavy rains in Eastern Visayas

MTSAT ENHANCED-IR Satellite Image as of 1:14 p.m., 22 September 2012

MANILA, Philippines—Public storm warnings went up in six provinces Saturday as Tropical Storm Lawin  slowed and changed its course, affecting large parts of eastern Visayas, the state weather bureau said.

Signal No. 2 was up over Eastern Samar, while Signal No. 1 was raised in Sorsogon, Northern Samar, Western Samar, Leyte and Southern Leyte, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration  said.

As of 11 a.m. Saturday, the eye of Lawin was located 395 kilometers east of Borongan in Eastern Samar, it said. The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 120 kph. It was forecast to move north-northwest “slowly.” It was moving at 9 kph Friday.

Pagasa said Lawin had slowed and changed directions. On Friday afternoon, it was moving in a west-southwest direction because of its interaction with the high pressure area in the north.

Lawin is expected to be 330 kilometers east of Borongan, Eastern Samar by Sunday morning. By Monday morning, it will be 290 km northeast of Borongan, and 290 km northeast of Virac, Catanduanes by Tuesday morning, Pagasa said.

The weather bureau advised residents living in low-lying and mountainous areas under public storm signals Nos. 1 and 2 of possible flash floods and landslides.

“Likewise, those living in coastal areas under public storm warning signal No. 2 are alerted (about)  big waves or storm surges generated by this tropical storm,” Pagasa said.

Lawin is seen to bring heavy to intense rains, from 10 to 25 mm per hour, across an area within 300 km of its center.

Fishing boats and other small seacraft were advised not to venture out to sea off the eastern coasts of  Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao due to big waves caused by strong to gale-force winds.

In its weather outlook, Pagasa said Eastern Samar will experience stormy weather with rough to very rough seas, while the rest of Eastern Visayas will have rains and gusty winds.

“Palawan, the rest of Visayas, the Zamboanga peninsula, Northern Mindanao and the Caraga region will have cloudy skies with occasional moderate to heavy rains,” it said.

Metro Manila and the rest of  the country will  be partly cloudy, with brief rain showers or thunderstorms, Pagasa said.