Tropical storm “Dante” (international name “Choi-wan”) has maintained its strength and is now over the coastal waters of Northern Zambales, the state weather bureau said Thursday, June 3.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the center of the tropical cyclone was located over the coastal waters of Santa Cruz, Zambales at around 4 a.m.
In its severe weather bulletin issued at 5 a.m., PAGASA said Dante has kept its strength and remained a tropical storm packing a maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph while moving north northwestward at 25 kph.
Tropical cyclone wind signal No. 2 has been raised over Zambales and the western portion of Pangasinan.
Signal No. 1 has been hoisted over the central portion of Pangasinan, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, western portion of Bulacan, western portion of Cavite, western portion of Batangas, and Lubang Island.
Meanwhile, PAGASA said wind signals in other areas have been already lifted.
Moderate to heavy rains persist
The state weather bureau said Dante is forecast to bring moderate to heavy rains over Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, and northern portion of Palawan including Calamian Islands.
Light to moderate with at times heavy rains may affect Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Oriental Mindoro, and the rest of Palawan including Cuyo and Kalayaan Islands.
Track and intensity outlook
PAGASA said Dante will continue moving generally north northwestward over the coastal waters of Zambales and Pangasinan, then turn more northward over the West Philippine Sea on Thursday.
After turning to the northeast Friday morning, June 5, the severe weather disturbance will move over the Bashi Channel close to the southern coast of Taiwan.
“Given the present track forecast scenario, Dante is forecast to be downgraded into a tropical depression in the next 12 hours and into a remnant low by Saturday morning, (June 6),” PAGASA said.
Cyclone’s forecast track
The agency said Dante will likely be 155 km west northwest of Baguio City by 2 p.m. and may weaken into a tropical depression in the next 12 hours.
It will then be 185 km northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte or 240 km west of Calayan, Cagayan by Friday morning, and 195 km west of Itbayat, Batanes by Friday afternoon.
PAGASA said the weather disturbance will likely weaken into a remnant low by Saturday.