The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Friday evening announced that Severe Tropical Storm “Opong” (international name: Bualoi) is now over the West Philippine Sea.
It was last estimated 260 kilometers west of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, according to the state weather bureau’s updated 11 p.m. tropical cyclone bulletin.
Moving west-northwestward at 35 kilometers per hour (kph), Opong has maximum sustained winds of 110 kph and gusts of up to 135 kph.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 has since been lifted from Occidental Mindoro and the Calamian Islands earlier.
However, Signal No. 2 remains hoisted above the northwestern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Paluan, Abra de Ilog, Mamburao) including Lubang Islands.
Signal No. 1 continues to be observed in other parts of Luzon including the central and western portions of Pangasinan (Basista, Lingayen, Villasis, City of Alaminos, Anda, Malasiqui, Urbiztondo, Bautista, Mangaldan, Mapandan, Burgos, Dagupan City, Bolinao, Aguilar, Alcala, Sual, Labrador, Bani, Santo Tomas, City of Urdaneta, Mangatarem, Mabini, San Carlos City, Manaoag, Binmaley, San Jacinto, Bugallon, Bayambang, Infanta, Agno, Calasiao, Santa Barbara, Dasol, San Fabian, Pozorrubio, Laoac, Binalonan, Asingan, Santa Maria, Balungao, Rosales);
The southern portion of Aurora (Dingalan), the western and southern portion of Nueva Ecija (Cuyapo, City of Gapan, San Leonardo, Santo Domingo, San Isidro, Zaragoza, Guimba, Aliaga, Science City of Muñoz, Cabanatuan City, Quezon, San Antonio, General Tinio, Santa Rosa, Nampicuan, Talugtug, Peñaranda, Jaen, Licab, Cabiao, Palayan City, General Mamerto Natividad, Talavera);
Tarlac, Zambales, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Metro Manila, the northern and central portions of Quezon (Lucena City, Pagbilao, Infanta, Tiaong, San Antonio, Candelaria, Lucban, Sampaloc, Sariaya, City of Tayabas, Mauban, Dolores, General Nakar, Real), Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, the rest of Occidental Mindoro, and Palawan (El Nido, Taytay, Dumaran, Araceli) including Calamian Islands.
On the track forecast, the severe tropical storm will exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) tomorrow morning or afternoon, then move generally west-northwestward toward northern Vietnam.
PAGASA added that Opong might re-intensify into a typhoon within the next 12 hours as it moves over the West Philippine Sea.
