‘Fung-Wong’ now a severe tropical storm; wind signals may be raised over soon

MANILA, Philippines, November 7 ------ Tropical Storm “Fung-Wong” has strengthened into a severe tropical storm as it tracks northwestward toward the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), state weather bureau PAGASA said. As of 4 a.m., the center of Fung-Wong was spotted 1,500 kilometers east of Northeastern Mindanao or 1,470 km east of Eastern Visayas. It is still outside the PAR, according to PAGASA. The cyclone will be locally named "Uwan" once it enters PAR.

The storm now packs maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 115 kph and a central pressure of 990 hPa. It is moving northwestward at 10 kph while strong to storm-force winds extend outward up to 720 kilometers from its center.

Heavy rainfall

PAGASA’s rainfall forecast shows widespread heavy rains associated with Fung-Wong beginning Sunday, November 9. The following are the areas expected to receive heavy rainfall on Sunday:

- (100-200 mm): Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes

- (50-100 mm): Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Batanes, Cagayan, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar and Biliran

Track, intensity

PAGASA said Fung-Wong will move generally west-northwestward over the next several days and is forecast to enter the PAR by Friday midnight or early Saturday morning, November 8. "Although the uncertainty in track and intensity forecast is typically high for day-4 and day-5 forecasts, there is an increasing chance of landfall on Monday (10 November) over Northern or Central Luzon," the state weather bureau said. It is expected to rapidly intensify, reaching typhoon category within 24 hours and possibly strengthening further into a super typhoon by Saturday evening or early Sunday.

PAGASA warned that Fung-Wong could "make landfall at or near its peak lifetime intensity." Tropical cyclone wind signals may be hoisted over the eastern portion of Luzon and parts of Samar provinces as early as Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. “The highest possible Wind Signal for the current forecast scenario is Signal No. 5,” PAGASA said.

Weather conditions may begin to deteriorate by Sunday, with potentially life-threatening stormy conditions expected over Northern Luzon and portions of Central Luzon on Monday and Tuesday. PAGASA also warned of high storm surge risk and coastal flooding, especially along Northern Luzon and the east coast of Central Luzon, with storm surge warnings possibly issued as early as Saturday.

Source: philstar.com