Typhoon Queenie weakens further, set to leave PAR

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MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Queenie (Kong-rey) weakened further and is on track to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) between Thursday night, October 4, and Friday early morning, October 5.

In a bulletin issued 4 am on Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Queenie was last located at 670 kilometers east northeast of Basco, Batanes.

The typhoon now has maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center, and gustiness of up to 185 km/h. It is moving northwest in direction at 20 kilometers per hour (km/h). (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Queenie is not expected to make landfall and will not have any direct effect on the country. 

PAGASA weather specialist Ariel Rojas said on Thursday that the typhoon will continue its weakening trend before leaving PAR between 10 pm Thursday and 1 am Friday. It is then expected to recurve and head for South Korea. 

The typhoon’s trough or extension will bring light to at times moderate rains over the eastern section of the country. Strong to gale force winds are expected over the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon.  

Rojas said PAGASA has not monitored any tropical disturbance that could enter PAR at least in the next 5 days. 

Queenie is the Philippines’ 17th tropical cyclone for 2018. The country usually gets an average of 20 tropical cyclones per year. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2018)

For October alone, PAGASA said there could be 2 to 3 tropical cyclones. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2018)

PAGASA declared the start of the rainy season last June 8. – Rappler.com