Typhoon Pablo moves closer to Luzon, storm signal #1 raised over 4 provinces

MANILA, Philippines (Updated) – Typhoon “Pablo” has maintained its strength and is moving closer to the western section of Northern and Central Luzon, weather bureau Pagasa said Saturday in its 11am bulletin. 

Four provinces have been placed under public storm signal warning #1 — Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan & Zambales. 

Residents living in low lying and mountainous areas in affected provinces are advised to take all necessary precautions against possible landslides and flashfloods.

As of 10 am, Pablo was located at 290 km northwest of Dagupan City (17.0°N, 117.1°E) with maximum sustained winds of 130 kph and gustiness of up to 160 kph. Already declared a tropical storm, Pablo was reclassified as a typhoon Friday afternoon. 

Based on PAGASA’s classification, a tropical cyclone is considered a tropical storm if it has a maximum wind speed of between 64 to 118 km/h, and is considered a typhoon if its maximum wind speed exceeds 118 km/h.

In the wake of destruction caused by the storm that left nearly 500 dead in Southern Mindanao, President Benigno Aquino III has declared the Philippines under a state of national calamity. 

Typhoon Pablo is expected to move northeastward at 7kph. It is forecast to be located 200 km northwest of Dagupan City by Sunday morning; 180 km west of Iba, Zambales by Monday morning; and 500 km west of Ambulong, Batangas by Tuesday morning, according to Pagasa. 

Pagasa said in its 5am bulletin that the northeast monsoon will also affect Northern Luzon while an intertropical convergence zone will affect Mindanao.

Mindanao will be cloudy with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms while the regions of Cagayan Valley, Cordillera and Ilocos will have light rains.

Meanwhile, a thunderstorm is less likely to develop in Metro Manila within the next 12 hours.

Pagasa 5am weather bulletin – Dec 8