Batanes and Babuyan Islands were placed under tropical cyclone wind signal number 1 on Wednesday evening, July 21, due to the anticipated direct effect of typhoon "Fabian" (international name "In-fa") on these areas in the next few hours.
"Due to the large extent of tropical cyclone winds, tropical cyclone wind signal number 1 has been hoisted over Batanes and Babuyan Islands in anticipation of the arrival of strong winds within 36 hours," the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 11 p.m. weather bulletin.
As of 10 p.m., the center of the eye of typhoon Fabian was estimated at 575 kilometers northeast of Itbayat, Batanes while it maintained its maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph.
It is moving southwest at 15 kph.
PAGASA said that Fabian is expected to continue to enhance the southwest monsoon or "habagat" that will trigger light to heavy with occasional intense rains over Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, and the northern portion of Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands in the next 24 hours.
PAGASA warned against possible flash floods or rain-induced landslides during heavy or prolonged rainfall, particularly in areas that are highly susceptible to these hazards.
The combined effects of typhoon Fabian and southwest monsoon may also cause rough to very rough sea conditions in areas under Signal No. 1.
Moderate to rough seas, with wave heights reaching up to 1.5-3.5 meters, are also likely over the northern, western, and eastern seaboards of Luzon.
"Sea travel is risky for small seacrafts over these waters mariners without the proper experience should immediately seek safe harbor," PAGASA advised.
PAGASA said that Fabian may continue to move generally southwest or west-southwest until Thursday morning, July 22, turn west or west-northwest from Thursday afternoon until Friday morning, July 23, then move generally northwest for the remainder of the forecast period.
It will likely leave the Philippine area of responsibility on Friday evening or Saturday morning, July 24.