‘Pablo’ weakens into tropical storm

Project NOAH MTSAT images as of 5:57 AM, December 6, 2012. Screengrab from https://noah.dost.gov.ph/

MANILA, Philippines—Typhoon “Pablo” (international name Bopha) has weakened into a tropical storm as it continued to move out of the Philippine territory, the state weather bureau said Thursday morning.

Only one area remained under public storm signal, the Calamian Group of Island at Signal No. 1, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

The tropical storm was last located 350 kilometers west of Coron, Palawan, packing maximum sustained winds of 115 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 145 kph. It was moving west northwest at 13 kph.

Pablo was seen to exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Friday morning, or 650 km west of Metro Manila.

It will bring heavy to intense rains within its 350 km diameter.

Meanwhile, Caraga and Davao regions will be cloudy with light to moderate rainshowers or thunderstorms while Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have cloudy skies with occasional light rains. The rest of the country will be partly cloudy with brief rainshowers or thunderstorms, the state weather bureau said.

Pagasa also advised that fishing boats and other sea vessels not to venture out into the seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon.