While the center of the eye of typhoon "Bising" (international name "Surigae") remained off shore, its outer rainbands could continue to bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Bicol and Eastern Visayas in the next 24 hours, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Sunday, April 18.
In its severe weather bulletin issued at 11 p.m., PAGASA said that moderate to heavy rains may persist over Bicol region and Northern Samar until Tuesday, April 20, due to the slow movement of typhoon Bising.
"Under these conditions and considering antecedent rainfall over the aforementioned areas, flooding, including flash floods, and rain-induced landslides are increasingly likely to occur especially in areas identified in hazard maps as highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards," PAGASA warned.
As of Sunday evening, tropical cyclone wind Signal No. 2 was hoisted over Catanduanes, eastern portion of Camarines Sur, eastern portion of Albay, eastern and central portions of Sorsogon, Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Biliran.
Signal No. 1 was also raised over the eastern portion of Camarines Norte, rest of Camarines Sur, rest of Albay, rest of Sorsogon, Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands, Leyte, Southern Leyte, northern portion of Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands, Dinagat Islands, Siargao Islands, and Bucas Grande Islands.
"Tropical cyclone winds of at least strong breeze to near-gale in strength extend outward up to 440 km (kilometers) from the center of the typhoon. Destructive typhoon-force winds extend outward up to 110 km from the center of the typhoon ," PAGASA said.
The northeasterly wind flow enhanced by the typhoon will also bring strong breeze to near-gale conditions with higher gusts over most parts of Northern Luzon, Aurora, Quezon including Polillo Islands, and the rest of Bicol region that are not under any tropical cyclone warning.
Projected track and intensity
As of 10 p.m., PAGASA located the center of the eye of typhoon Bising at 270 km east of Virac, Catanduanes.
Bising has slightly weakened with maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 240 kph.
"The recent weakening of Bising after reaching its peak intensity was caused by a recently completed eyewall replacement cycle. The typhoon is forecast to maintain its current intensity in the next 24 to 48 hours before gradually weakening throughout the remainder of the forecast period," PAGASA said.
Bising may also continue to move slowly in the next six to 12 hours as it begins to turn generally northward over the Philippine Sea east of Catanduanes.
Afterward, PAGASA said the typhoon will continue to move northward while gradually accelerating until Wednesday evening, April 21 before turning northeastward and east-northeastward away from the landmass of Luzon.
Bising will likely be at 325 km east-northeast of Virac, Catanduanes or 555 km east of Infanta, Quezon by Monday evening; 535 km east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan by Tuesday evening; 530 km east of Calayan, Cagayan by Wednesday evening; 650 km east of Basco, Batanes by Thursday evening, April 22; and 1,195 km east-northeast of extreme Northern Luzon by Friday evening, April 23.