Friday, June 29, 2012

Pagasa: Expect rain, gusty winds, rough seas in Northern Luzon

Tropical Storm Dindo will cause rain and gusty winds over Northern Luzon, with the rest of Luzon experiencing occasional rain showers, the weather bureau said Thursday afternoon.

According to a report from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the storm will affect Apayao, Ilocos Norte, and Cagayan most. It has also forecast rain, gusty winds, and "rough to very rough seas" in the Calayan, Babuyan, and Batanes island groups.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Public Storm Signal Number 2 has been raised in "Cagayan including Calayan Group of Islands and Babuyan Group of Islands, Isabela, Batanes Group of Islands, Apayao, Kalinga, Mt.Province, Ilocos Norte and Abra."

Some roads and bridges in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and Cagayn province have become impassable due to flooding and landslides.

Storm Signal No. 1 has meanwhile been raised over La Union, Ilocos Sur, Aurora, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Benguet, Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija.

"The rest of Luzon and Visayas will experience occasional rains becoming frequent over the western section which may trigger flashfloods and landslides. Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms," Pagasa said.

The rest of the country will also have moderate to strong winds as well as "moderate to rough" seas.

Pagasa said satellite and surface data show Dindo at around 140 km north northeast of Appari, Cagayan with sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 90 kilometers per hour. It is expected to move west northwest at around 19kph