Typhoon Ambo weakens into severe tropical storm

MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Ambo (international name: Vongfong) has weakened into a severe tropical storm while it continues to move towards the Quezon-Laguna area, the state weather bureau said.

In its 2 p.m. weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that the center of the typhoon was last spotted in the vicinity of Andangan, Quezon.

The severe tropical storm also packed maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, and gustiness of up to 150 kph.

Ambo was also spotted moving northwest at 20 kph.

Based on the state weather bureau’s data, the severe tropical storm made landfall six times:  San Policarpo, Eastern Samar (12:15 p.m. of Thursday); Dalupiri Island, Northern Samar (10:15 p.m. Thursday); Capul Island, Northern Samar (10:30 p.m. Thursday); Ticao Island, Masbate (12 a.m. Friday ); Burias Island, Masbate (3 a.m. Friday); San Andres, Quezon (7:45 a.m. Friday).

Pagasa also forecast that moderate to heavy with at times intense rain is expected over the Bicol Region, Quezon, Aurora, Marinduque, Laguna, Rizal, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino.

Meanwhile, Ambo is expected to bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rain over the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Aurora, and Nueva Ecija.

Pagasa has then lifted Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 over Quezon (including Polilio Islands), Rizal, Laguna, and other areas, and are now placed under TCWS No. 2

TCWS No. 2, where which winds of greater than 61 kph and up to 120 kph may be expected in at least 24 hours, is also hoisted over the following areas:

• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• Apayao
• Abra
• Kalinga
• La Union
• Ifugao
• Mountain Province
• Benguet
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• Tarlac
• Nueva Ecija
• Aurora
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila
• the eastern portion of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Natividad, San Quintin, Umingan, Balungao, Sta. Maria, Tayug, Asingan, San Manuel, Binalonan, Laoac, Urdaneta, Villasis, Rosales, Sto. Tomas, Alcala, Bautista, Bayambang, Urbiztondo, Basista, Malasiqui, Sta. Barbara, Manaoag, Mapandan, San Jacinto, San Fabian, Pozorrubio, Sison, Mangaldan, Dagupan, Calasiao, Binmaley, Lingayen, Bugallon, Aguilar, San Carlos, Mangatarem)
• the western portion of Isabela (Quezon, Mallig, Roxas, Quirino, San Manuel, Burgos, Gamu, Reina Mercedes, Aurora, Luna, Cabatuan, Naguilian, Benito Soliven, Cauayan, San Guillermo, Dinapugue, San Mateo, Alicia, Angadanan, Ramon, San Isidro, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, Santiago, Cordon)
• Cavite
• Camarines Norte
• Western portion of Camarines Sur (Del Gallego, Ragay, Lupi, Sipocot)
• Marinduque
• Batangas

TCWS No. 1, where winds of 30-60 kph may be expected in at least 36 hours or intermittent rains may be expected within 36 hours, is raised over:

• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Batanes
• the rest of Pangasinan
• Zambales
• Bataan
• Oriental Mindoro
• Burias Island
• the rest of Camarines Sur
• The northern portion of Albay (Tiwi, Malinao,Tabaco, Polangui, Libon, Oas, Ligao, Guinobatan, Pio Duran)

EDV/MUF