Signal No. 1 up over Surigao Sur as 'Basyang' accelerates after entering PAR

MANILA, Philippines, February 4 ------ Signal No. 1 is up over Surigao del Sur as Tropical Depression (TD) Basyang entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), the state-run weather agency said Wednesday.

Signal No. 1 was raised over the southern portion of Surigao del Sur (Cagwait, Marihatag, San Agustin, Barobo, Tagbina, Hinatuan, City of Bislig, Lingig, and Lianga).

Estimated to be 895 kilometers east of Northeastern Mindanao, Basyang accelerated as it was moving west-southwestward at 20 kilometers per hour (kph), with maximum sustained winds of 55kph near the center and gustiness of up to 70kph, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its 5 a.m. briefing.

Pagasa administrator Nathaniel Servando said that based on its forecast track, the tropical depression will make its initial landfall over eastern Mindanao between Thursday evening and Friday morning. “Afterwards, it will traverse the landmass of northeastern Mindanao and Central and Western Visayas and emerge over the Sulu Sea by Saturday morning,” Servando said.

Basyang is likely to gradually intensify over the Philippine Sea and may reach tropical storm category on Wednesday. After its initial landfall, it will weaken into a tropical depression and will be downgraded to a low-pressure area by Monday, according to the Pagasa chief. He said the trough or extension of Basyang has already been affecting Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and Davao Region, where overcast skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms would prevail.

The northeast monsoon, locally known as ‘amihan,’ is affecting Cagayan Valley, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and Aurora, bringing cloudy skies with rain occurring in 24 hours.

Pagasa said Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon would have partly cloudy to overcast skies with isolated light rains also due to the same weather system. The rest of the country would likely have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to the localized thunderstorms, it added.

Source: manilatimes.net