State weather bureau PAGASA said Wednesday that Typhoon ‘Marce’ may reach its peak intensity today as it intensified further, threatening the Babuyan Islands and other parts of northern mainland Luzon.
Forecasters noted, however, of its possible ‘slight weakening’ while it crosses terrains in the north although it will stay as a typhoon within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
“The surge of the northeasterly wind flow will trigger a continuous period of weakening during the weekend,” PAGASA said in its 11: 00 a.m. weather advisory.
‘Marce’ is expected to make a landfall over the Babuyan Islands or the northern portions of mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Norte and Apayao or pass near these areas by Thursday afternoon or early Friday morning. It is projected to leave PAR by Friday evening.
As of this posting, PAGASA maintained tropical cyclone wind signal (TCWS) no. 2 over the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana). The following northern Luzon areas remain under TCWS No. 1:
· Batanes, Babuyan Islands, the northern portion of mainland Cagayan (Gonzaga, Lal-Lo, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Gattaran, Baggao, Lasam, Abulug, Camalaniugan, Pamplona, Claveria, Aparri, Ballesteros, Allacapan, Sanchez-Mira, Santa Praxedes, Rizal, Santo Niño, Alcala, Amulung), and the northern portion of Apayao (Calanasan, Luna, Pudtol, Santa Marcela, Flora, Kabugao)
‘Marce’ was last monitored at 305 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan or 315 km east of Aparri. It was moving westward at 10 km per hour with maximum sustained winds of 150 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 185 km/h.
