‘Ulysses’ now over West Philippine Sea; maintains strength

The typhoon packs maximum sustained winds of 130 kph near the center, and gustiness of up to 200 kph. (File photo: Dost_pagasa/Facebook)

MANILA – Typhoon Ulysses has maintained its strength, and is now over the West Philippine Sea, the weather bureau said in its 11 a.m. bulletin on Thursday.

The typhoon packs maximum sustained winds of 130 kph near the center, and gustiness of up to 200 kph.

Tropical cyclone wind signal (TCWS) no. 3 is still hoisted over the western portion of Pangasinan (Bayambang, Bautista, Alcala, Santo Tomas, Malasiqui, Santa Barbara, Mangaldan, Dagupan City, Basista, San Carlos City, Calasiao, Binmaley, Urbiztondo, Mangatarem, Aguilar, Bugallon, Lingayen, Labrador, Infanta, Mabini, Sual, Dasol, Burgos, Alaminos City, Agno, Bani, Bolinao, Anda), Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, and Pampanga. Destructive typhoon force winds will continue in these areas.

Areas under TCWS no. 2 are: the central and southern portions of Isabela (Mallig, Quirino, Ilagan, Roxas, Burgos, Gamu, Palanan, San Mariano, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Reina Mercedes, Luna, San Manuel, Aurora, Cabatuan, Cauayan City, San Mateo, Alicia, Angadanan, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, San Isidro, Ramon, Santiago City, Cordon), Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, the southern portion of Ilocos Sur (Cervantes, Quirino, San Emilio, Lidlidda, Santiago, Banayoyo, Candon City, Galimuyod, Gregorio Del Pilar, Salcedo, Santa Lucia, Santa Cruz, Sigay, Suyo, Tagudin, Alilem, Sugpon), La Union, the rest of Pangasinan, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, Batangas, the northern and western portions of Quezon (Mauban, Pagbilao, Tayabas City, Lucena City, Sariaya, Candelaria, San Antonio, Tiaong, Dolores, Lucban, Sampaloc, Real, Infanta, General Nakar) including Polillo Islands, the northwestern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera, San Teodoro), and the northwestern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Paluan, Abra de Ilog) including Lubang Island.Damaging gale to storm-force winds will be experienced in these areas.

TCWS no. 1 was hoisted over the rest of Isabela, Kalinga, Abra, the rest of Ilocos Sur, the rest of northern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Baco, Calapan City, Naujan, Victoria, Pola), the rest of northern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Mamburao, Santa Cruz), and the central portion of Quezon (Gumaca, Macalelon, Pitogo, Unisan, Agdangan, Plaridel, Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Quezon, Alabat, Perez). These areas will have strong breeze to near gale conditions.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecast heavy to intense, with at times torrential rains over Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, and Tarlac.

Moderate to heavy, with at times intense rains over Cordillera Administrative Region, mainland Cagayan Valley, Babuyan Islands, Calabarzon, Metro Manila, Mindoro provinces, Marinduque, and the rest of central Luzon.

Light to moderate, with at times heavy rains over the Visayas and the rest of Luzon.

Flooding, rain-induced landslides, and sediment-laden streamflows may occur during heavy or prolonged rainfall.

Meanwhile, rough to very high seas still prevail over the seaboards of areas under TCWS, and the northern seaboard of northern Samar.

Rough to high seas also continue over the remaining seaboards of northern Luzon, and rough to very rough seas over the western seaboard of Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands and the seaboards of Romblon and Bicol Region not under TCWS.

Sea travel is risky for all types of vessels over these waters.

Moderate to rough seas will still be experienced over the eastern seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao, the seaboards of Cuyo Islands, and the western seaboard of Panay Island, PAGASA said.