The Typhoon “Fabian” (international name “In-fa”) maintained its strength while moving slowly off the coast of Batanes on Thursday, July 22, the state weather bureau said.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) estimated the center of the eye of Fabian at 525 kilometers (km) Northeast of Itbayat, Batanes as of 10 a.m.
It maintained its strength packing a maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph, while slowly moving west southwestward.
Tropical cyclone wind signal number 1 remain hoisted over Batanes and the Babuyan Islands, but the agency noted that Fabian is unlikely to directly bring heavy rainfall in the country throughout the forecast period.
State meteorologists warned that monsoon rains brought by typhoon-enhanced southwest monsoon or “habagat” will be experienced over most parts of Luzon in the next 24 hours.
In its 11 a.m. weather advisory, PAGASA said that the habagat will bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Pangasinan, Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, and Occidental Mindoro.
Meanwhile, moderate to at times heavy rains will prevail over Metro Manila, the rest of Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, Pampanga, Bulacan, Southern Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Northern Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands.
Track, intensity outlook
The weather bureau said Fabian will move generally westward in the next 12 hours.
Afterwards, it will move generally northwestward until Friday evening, July 23, then turn north northwestward until Sunday morning, July 25.
By Monday morning, July 26, Fabian will move northwestward before turning west northwestward by Tuesday, July 27.
PAGASA estimated that the typhoon will further intensify and reach its peak intensity of 155-165 kph Thursday night.
A weakening trend in its intensity may begin on Sunday as the typhoon makes landfall over mainland China.
“Fabian is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility Friday evening or Saturday morning, July 24,” the agency said.