Manila: Typhoon Tino (international name Kalmaegi) has further intensified as it continues to move west-northwestward over the West Philippine Sea, north of Kalayaan Islands, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said early Thursday.
According to Philippines News Agency, the typhoon has completely exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) as of 12:30 a.m. However, due to its wide circulation, a Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal remains in effect over the Kalayaan Islands. As of 4 a.m., the center of Tino was estimated at 265 kilometers north-northwest of Pag-asa Island, Kalayaan, Palawan, outside the PAR. The typhoon is packing maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 190 km/h. It is moving west-northwestward at 35 km/h, with strong to typhoon-force winds extending outward up to 480 kilometers from the center.
Tino’s trough may still bring scattered rain showers in Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Aurora, and Quezon. Batanes may experience cloudy skies with rain showers due to the northeast monsoon or “amihan,” while Cagayan may also see cloudy skies with rain showers due to a shear line. The Greater Manila Area, Visayas, and Mindanao can expect fair weather with localized thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening.
Weather specialist Loriedin De La Cruz-Galicia stated that Typhoon Tino continues to move away from the country and is heading toward Vietnam, but due to its wide circulation, TCWS No. 1 is still in effect over the Kalayaan Islands. However, this warning may be lifted within the day. No more gale warnings are in effect for the sea boards across the country.
Meanwhile, a tropical depression monitored outside PAR has intensified into a tropical storm with the international name Fung-Wong. The storm is moving northwestward at 20 km/h, with strong to gale-force winds extending outward up to 550 kilometers from its center. PAGASA reported that Fung-Wong will continue moving northwestward until Friday before turning west-northwestward over the next few days. It is expected to enter the PAR by late Friday evening or early Saturday morning and will be assigned the local name Uwan once inside. The system could rapidly intensify into a typhoon by Friday and potentially reach the super typhoon category by Saturday. There is an increasing likelihood that it could make landfall over Northern or Central Luzon on Monday, possibly at or near its peak intensity.
