Typhoon "Bising" (international name: "Surigae") slowed down slightly while it maintained its strength over the Philippine Sea east of Northern Samar on Sunday morning, April 18.
In the severe weather bulletin issued at 5 a.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Bising maintained its 215 kilometers per hour (kph) maximum sustained winds near the center and gustiness of up to 265 kph while it slowed down to 15 kilometers per hour (kph) northwestward.
PAGASA noted that the typhoon may maintain its strength Sunday before gradually weakening throughout the forecast period.
READ: mb.com.ph/2021/04/18/bising-may-intensify-into-super-typhoon-in-next-24-hours-pagasa/
However, the rainbands of Bising are still anticipated to bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Eastern Visayas and Bicol region.
By Monday, April 19, moderate to heavy with at times intense rains will be experienced over Bicol, Northern Samar, Samar, and Eastern Samar.
"Under these conditions, flooding including flash floods, and rain-induced landslides are likely to occur especially in areas identified in hazard maps as highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards," PAGASA warned.
Signal No. 2 remains hoisted over Catanduanes, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and Samar.
Meanwhile, Signal No. 1 is still up in the eastern portion of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, northern portion of Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, and northern portion of Surigao del Sur.
"Based on the current forecast scenario, Signal No. 2 remains the highest level of wind signal that will be hoisted due to this typhoon," PAGASA said.
"However, in the event of a further eastward or westward shift in the current track forecast, the highest level of wind signal that will be hoisted for this typhoon may be lower or higher than the current scenario suggests," it added.
In the next 24 hours, typhoon Bising and an enhanced northeasterly surface wind flow may trigger "very rough to very high seas" over the northern and eastern seaboard of Eastern Visayas, with wave heights up to 4.0-12.0 meters (m), rough to very high seas over the eastern seaboard of Luzon (2.5-12.0 m), and rough to very rough seas over the eastern seaboard of Caraga (3.0-5.0 m).
Rough to very rough seas may also prevail over the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon (2.5-5.0 m) and rough seas over the eastern seaboard of Davao Region (2.5-3.5 m).
PAGASA advised that sea travel remains risky over these waters.
Typhoon's projected track
As of 4 a.m., the center of the eye of typhoon Bising was located 400 kilometers (km) east of Catarman, Northern Samar or 470 km east of Juban, Sorsogon.
Typhoon Bising is seen to continue to move northwestward over the Philippine Sea east of Bicol region Sunday and is likely to slow down considerably and begin turning more northward in the evening or Monday morning
PAGASA said the typhoon will then continue moving northward until Tuesday morning, April 20, before turning north-northwestward while over the Philippine Sea east of Cagayan Valley.
By Wednesday evening, April 21, or Thursday morning, April 22, the typhoon is forecast to turn northeastward or east-northeastward away from the landmass of Luzon.
"Considering the uncertainty in the track forecast of the typhoon, a westward shift in the current forecast track may result in potentially significant impacts over the eastern portions of Southern Luzon and Visayas," PAGASA said.
"The possibility of a close approach scenario is not ruled out," it added.
Bising will likely be at 295 km east-northeast of Virac, Catanduanes by Monday; 360 km northeast of Virac, Catanduanes or 575 km east of Baler, Aurora by Tuesday; 510 km east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan by Wednesday; 510 km east of Calayan, Cagayan by Thursday; and 725 km east of Basco, Batanes by Friday, April 23.