Tropical Storm Salome now off Batangas coast

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MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Salome (Haikui) maintained its strength and slightly slowed down very early Friday, November 10, as it continued to bring rain to parts of Luzon.

In a bulletin issued 2 am on Friday, state weather bureau PAGASA said Salome is already off the coast of Batangas province, specifically 75 kilometers west northwest of Ambulong, Batangas. It is now moving west northwest at 22 kilometers per hour (km/h) from the previous 25 km/h.

The tropical storm still has maximum winds of 65 km/h and gustiness of up to 110 km/h.

On Thursday evening, November 9, Salome was at its closest point to Metro Manila.

Signal number 2 remains raised in the following areas:

• Metro Manila
• Bataan
• Cavite
• Laguna
• Batangas
• northern Oriental Mindoro
• northern Occidental Mindoro

Signal number 1, meanwhile, is up over:

• Bulacan
• Pampanga
• southern Zambales
• Rizal
• Camarines Norte
• Marinduque
• Quezon
• southern Oriental Mindoro
• southern Occidental Mindoro

There is moderate to heavy rainfall within the 250-kilometer diameter of the tropical storm. Flash floods and landslides are possible.

Aside from areas under signal numbers 1 and 2, PAGASA warned Central Luzon to be on alert for flash floods and landslides as well. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Sea travel remains suspended in areas under signal numbers 1 and 2 due to rough to very rough seas.

Classes have also been suspended again in parts of Luzon for Friday.

Salome is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) early Saturday morning, November 11 – before leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations arrive in the country for the 31st ASEAN Summit. (READ: Bad weather results in cancelled flights on Thursday, Nov 9)

Most ASEAN leaders will arrive on Sunday, November 12, coming from the ongoing Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Vietnam, which Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is also attending. PAGASA said the weather will likely be better by then, as long as no new low pressure area or tropical cyclone develops.

– Rappler.com