PAGASA lifts wind signals in some areas as ‘Bising’ slows down
MANILA, Philippines – The tropical cyclone wind signals (TCWS) in some areas in the country were lifted on Wednesday as Typhoon Bising continues to slow down while moving northwestward east of mainland Cagayan, the state weather bureau said.
In its 11 a.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that TCWS signal number 2 has been lifted but signal number 1 remains hoisted over the following areas:
- Batanes
- Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
- The eastern portion of Apayao (Luna, Santa Marcela, Flora, Pudtol)
- The eastern portion of Kalinga (Pinukpuk, Rizal)
- The eastern portion of Isabela (Ilagan, San Mariano, Palanan, Divilacan, Maconacon, San Pablo, Cabagan, Tumauini, Santa Maria, Delfin Albano, Santo Tomas, Quezon, Quirino, Gamu, Naguilian, Benito Soliven, Reina Mercedes, Mallig, Burgos, Roxas, Cauayan City, Luna, San Manuel, Cabatuan, Aurora, Dinapigue, San Mateo, Alicia, Angadanan, San Guillermo, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, San Isidro)
- The northeastern portion of Quirino (Maddela)
- The northern portion of Aurora (Casiguran, Dilasag)
PAGASA said that tropical cyclone winds of at least strong breeze to near gale in strength extend outward up to 370 km from the center of the typhoon. Destructive typhoon-force winds extend outward up to 90 km from the center of the typhoon.
It added that the northeasterly wind flow enhanced by the typhoon will also bring strong breeze to near gale conditions with higher gusts over the coastal and mountainous areas of Northern Luzon that are not under any TCWS in the next 24 hours.
Bising was last located at 360 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, packing maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center and gustiness of up to 215 km/h. The typhoon is moving northwestward at 10 km/h.
Based on the forecast track, PAGASA said Bising will move generally northward or north northwestward until Wednesday night or Thursday morning, when the typhoon will be nearest to the landmass of Northern Luzon.
Afterwards, the typhoon will move northeastward away from the landmass throughout tomorrow and east northeastward on Friday and Saturday.
Bising is expected to gradually weaken throughout the remainder of the forecast period. The typhoon will likely be downgraded to severe tropical storm category by Saturday and tropical storm category by Sunday.