Ambo weakens into low pressure area

Acor Arceo

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Ambo weakens into low pressure area
Signal No. 1 is lifted in Batanes, but PAGASA says there will still be rain in the province until Sunday evening, May 17

What’s the weather like in your area? Tweet us at @rapplerdotcom.

MANILA, Philippines – Ambo (Vongfong) weakened from a tropical depression into a low pressure area (LPA) on Sunday afternoon, May 17, while moving over the Bashi Channel.

In a bulletin issued 5 pm on Sunday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the LPA which used to be Ambo is now 125 kilometers northwest of Basco, Batanes.

With the development, Signal No. 1 has been lifted in Batanes. (READ: Why is it now called tropical cyclone ‘wind’ – and not ‘warning’ – signals?)

But PAGASA said light to moderate rain will still persist in Batanes until Sunday night. The rain may be heavy at times.

Seas off Batanes and Babuyan Islands will also be moderate to rough. PAGASA advised fishermen and those with small vessels not to set sail. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Ambo was a typhoon when it lashed parts of Eastern Visayas, Bicol, and Calabarzon, then gradually weakened as it crossed other areas in Luzon. It made landfall 6 times as a typhoon and once as a severe tropical storm, in these areas:

Thursday, May 14

  • San Policarpo, Eastern Samar – 12:15 pm
  • Dalupiri Island, Northern Samar – 10:15 pm
  • Capul Island, Northern Samar – 10:30 pm

Friday, May 15

  • Ticao Island, Masbate – 12 am
  • Burias Island, Masbate – 3 am
  • San Andres, Quezon – 7:45 am
  • Real, Quezon – 5 pm

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has yet to report casualties from Ambo.

Tens of thousands of people earlier fled their homes as authorities enforced preemptive evacuation. (READ: Social distancing ‘per family’ at Typhoon Ambo evacuation centers)

Forecast track of the low pressure area which used to be Ambo (Vongfong), as of May 17, 2020, 5 pm. Image from PAGASA

Ambo was the Philippines’ first tropical cyclone for 2020. The country gets an average of 20 tropical cyclones per year. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2020)

PAGASA Weather Specialist Loriedin de la Cruz said in an online briefing on Sunday that PAGASA is monitoring a new cloud cluster on the eastern side of the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

According to De La Cruz, this cloud cluster is unlikely to develop into a tropical cyclone in the next two days, but the public are advised to monitor updates.

In PAGASA’s climate outlook, it gave the following estimates for the number of tropical cyclones in the next 6 months:

  • May – 1 or 2
  • June – 1 or 2
  • July – 2 to 4
  • August – 2 or 3
  • September – 2 or 3
  • October – 2 or 3

 

– Rappler.com

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!
Clothing, Apparel, Person

author

Acor Arceo

Acor Arceo is the head of copy and editorial standards at Rappler. Trained in both online and TV newsrooms, Acor ensures consistency in editorial standards across all sections and also supervises Rappler’s coverage of disasters.