Severe Tropical Storm Quedan heading for Japan

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MANILA, Philippines – Severe Tropical Storm Quedan (Saola) remains inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), but it is already heading for Japan.

In a bulletin issued 11 pm on Friday, October 27, state weather bureau PAGASA said Quedan is now 735 kilometers east northeast of Basco, Batanes, still moving north northwest at 19 kilometers per hour (km/h).

The severe tropical storm maintained its strength, with maximum winds of 90 km/h and gustiness of up to 115 km/h.

Quedan did not make landfall in the Philippines, though its outer rainbands earlier brought some rain.

Since Quedan remains inside PAR, sea travel is still risky in the seaboards of Northern Luzon, the eastern seaboard of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon, and the eastern seaboard of the Visayas.

The severe tropical storm is expected to leave PAR on Saturday afternoon, October 28.

Meanwhile, those in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and Palawan should expect more light to heavy rain on Saturday, still due to the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ).

The ITCZ is a belt near the equator where the trade winds of the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere meet. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

The rest of the country will only have isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms on Saturday. – Rappler.com