‘Vinta’ to make it a rainy holiday

MTSAT ENHANCED-IR Satellite Image 4:30 a.m., 31 October 2013

MANILA, Philippines—Most of Luzon will likely be overcast, even wet and stormy in some places, during the All Saints’ Day weekend, so cemetery-goers are advised to bring umbrellas or raincoats, the weather bureau said.

But the weather is seen to gradually improve after “Vinta,” which has developed into a tropical storm, exits the Philippines by Friday afternoon or evening, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Wednesday.

More areas in Luzon were placed under storm alerts as the storm drew nearer on Wednesday, headed for either Isabela or Cagayan, where it was predicted to make landfall on Thursday evening.

Pagasa warned residents of the affected areas to prepare for possible flash floods and landslides.

As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, the eye of the storm was spotted some 610 kilometers east of Ilagan, Isabela.

Risky sea travel

Vinta was packing peak winds of 85 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 100 kph. It was forecast to move west-northwest at 23 kph.

Pagasa deemed sea travel to be risky in the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon.

Storm Signal No. 2, indicating wind speeds of 61 to 100 kph in at least 24 hours, was declared over Cagayan, including the Calayan and Babuyan groups of islands, and the provinces of Isabela, Kalinga and Apayao.

Signal No. 1, indicating 30 to 60 kph winds in at least 36 hours, was hoisted over Ilocos Norte, Mt. Province, Abra, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Benguet, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija and the Batanes island group.

Areas under Signal Nos. 2 and 1 have been alerted to possible flash floods and landslides, while the coastal areas under Storm Signal No. 2 have been warned of possible storm surges.

Vinta has a 500-kilometer diameter, within which it is expected to spawn moderate to heavy rains, at 5 to 15 millimeters per hour, Pagasa said.

Manila will be cloudy

Forecaster Alvin Pura said residents of northern Luzon should brace for stormy weather with Vinta’s approach.

But Metro Manila is unlikely to feel the effects of the storm, except for cloudy skies on Thursday and Friday, he said.

The rest of the country, Visayas and Mindanao, will see mostly fair weather except for isolated thunderstorms, Pura said.

Based on Pagasa’s 24-hour weather outlook, the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela and Aurora will have rains and gusty winds with rough to very rough seas.

Quezon province, the Bicol region, Eastern Visayas and Mindanao will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms, while Metro Manila and the regions of Ilocos, Cordillera and the rest of Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains, it said.

SEE ALSO:

Signal No. 2 up in 6 Northern Luzon areas