‘Ulysses’ expected to exit PH Friday

MANILA – Typhoon Ulysses is expected to maintain its strength in the next 24 hours, and will exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Friday, the weather bureau said on Thursday night.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), in its 11 p.m. bulletin, said some areas in northern Luzon continue to experience heavy rains as Typhoon Ulysses maintained its strength.

“Ulysses” packs a maximum sustained winds 120 kph near the center, and gustiness of up to 150 kph. It was last seen 300 km west of Iba, Zambales, PAGASA said.

Moderate to heavy with some intense rains will continue over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, northern and eastern portions of mainland Cagayan, eastern portion of Isabela, northern and central portions of Aurora, Quirino, and Apayao until Friday.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains are forecast over Ilocos Region, the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, the rest of Cagayan Valley, the rest of Aurora, the northern portion of Quezon including Polillo Islands, Zambales, and Bataan.

Flooding, rain-induced landslides, and sediment-laden streamflows may occur during heavy or prolonged rainfall, especially in areas highly susceptible to these hazards, PAGASA added.

Meanwhile, no tropical cyclone wind signal was hoisted on any part of the country.

However, gusty conditions will be experienced over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, and northern Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island due to “Ulysses” and the surge of the northeast monsoon.

Rough to very rough seas, PAGASA said, will prevail over the seaboards of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, and Zambales, the northern seaboard of mainland Cagayan, and the western seaboards of Bataan, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro (including Lubang Island), and Palawan (including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands).

Sea travel is risky for all types of seacraft over these waters as moderate to rough seas will continue over the eastern seaboards of Luzon.