THE low-pressure area east of Mindanao developed into a tropical depression on Saturday and was named “Bising” while cruising over the waters along the country’s eastern seaboard and bringing some rains there before possibly moving away from Philippine landmass.
“Latest available data indicate a low chance for ‘Bising’ to cross the country,” said weather forecaster Robb Gile of the state weather bureau, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.
Gile said light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms are possible in Mindanao, the Visayas as well as Luzon’s east-lying Bicol region and Quezon province as ‘Bising’ moves over waters bordering the eastern seaboard.
"Bising" is also enhancing the prevailing northeast monsoon or amihan so the eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao can experience strong to gale-force winds that can fan rough to very rough seas in those regions, Gile added.
He said "Bising" may, however, recurve and head northeast away from the country once it nears Southern Luzon.
In its Severe Weather Bulletin 3 released Saturday morning, Pagasa located "Bising" at some 515 km. east of Hinatuan in Mindanao’s Surigao del Sur province as of 10 a.m. Saturday.
"Bising" was packing maximum sustained winds of up to 45 kph near its center and gustiness of up to 55 kph.
Gile noted that "Bising" may move northwestwards at 11 kph, slower than its earlier speed of 13 kph.
Pagasa forecast ‘Bising’ to be already outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Thursday (Feb. 9).
“We’re however not discounting the possibility of ‘Bising’ dissipating while inside PAR,” Gile noted.
Gile, however, said that seas off northern and central Luzon may become rough to very rough—and dangerous to sailing—as tropical depression "Bising" nears these areas and enhances the prevailing northeast monsoon or amihan.
“Such scenario is possible, particularly if ‘Bising’ persists as a tropical depression,” Gile said.
He said amihan continues to prevail in Luzon but the winds it brings to the island’s northern and central areas are not strong enough to fan rough to very rough seas.
“Winds there can reach strong to gale-force intensity if ‘Bising’ enhances the amihan enough,” he noted.
‘Bising’ is also enhancing the ‘amihan’ so eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao can experience strong to gale-force winds that can fan rough to very rough seas in these regions, he continued.
On Saturday, Pagasa said such winds may also fan waves up to 4.5 meters high.
“Fishing boats and other small sea craft are advised not to venture out into sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves,” PAGASA added in its gale warning 41 released Saturday, citing danger in waters off the eastern sections of Southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.
‘Bising’ is the first tropical cyclone in the country this month.