Bebinca to intensify into severe tropical storm

Pagasa weather update. GRAPHICS BY INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — Bebinca is expected to intensify into a severe tropical storm and enhance the southwest monsoon, or habagat, that will drench the Bicol region and other areas, the state weather bureau said on Wednesday.

In its 11 a.m. weather advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said: “Bebinca is forecast to intensify into a severe tropical storm within 24 hours and may reach typhoon category on late Thursday.”

“Despite being far from the Philippine landmass and not directly affecting the country, Bebinca is forecast to enhance the southwest monsoon, which may bring heavy rainfall over the Bicol region, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), Visayas, and the northern and western portions of Mindanao,” it reported.

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The center of Bebinca was last spotted east-northeast of Eastern Visayas with maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour (km/h) and gustiness of up to 105 km/h. It is moving westward at a speed of 25 km/h.

Bebinca is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday afternoon or evening and will exit the PAR on Saturday morning.

The state weather bureau advised motorbancas and small vessels to take precautionary measures or possibly avoid navigating the seas.

“Due to the southwest monsoon that is starting to be enhanced by Bebinca, up to moderate seas are expected in the next 24 hours over the western seaboard of Palawan, including Kalayaan Islands (1.0 to 2.5 m), the eastern seaboard of southern Palawan, and the eastern seaboard of Mindanao (0.5 to 2.0 m),” Pagasa said.

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