‘Hagupit’ intensifies into a typhoon

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MANILA, Dec. 3 — Tropical storm “Hagupit” has intensified into a typhoon Wednesday, but is still outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).

PAGASA weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said it is expected to enter the country on Thursday and would be called “Ruby”, the 18th tropical cyclone to affect the country this year.

“Hagupit” was spotted at 1670 km east of Mindanao (6.8ºN, 141.7ºE), with maximum sustained winds of 130 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph. It is forecast to move west northwest at 30 kph.

He said the tropical cyclone has two scenarios — it could make a landfall in Eastern Visayas, or may not hit land and will move upwards towards Japan after re-curving its path.

Aurelio said the northeast monsoon continues to induce rainshowers over parts of Eastern Visayas, Northern and Central Luzon.

As such, PAGASA said Eastern Visayas will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms Wednesday.

Cagayan Valley will have cloudy skies with light rains while Cordillera, Ilocos, and Central Luzon regions will experience partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated light rains.

The rest of the country including Metro Manila will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Aurelio said with the surge of northeast monsoon or hangin amihan, gale warning was issued by PAGASA reminding of rough to very rough sea condition along the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Central Luzon.

“Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves,” it warned.

PAGASA said moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast to east will prevail over Luzon and the eastern section of Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough.

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the northeast with slight to moderate seas. (PNA)

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