The Batanes and Babuyan Islands remain under tropical cyclone wind signal number 1 as typhoon “Fabian” (international name “In-fa”) maintained its strength on Thursday, July 22, the state weather bureau said.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) estimated the center of Fabian at 530 kilometers (km) Northeast of Itbayat, Batanes as of 4 a.m.
It still packed a maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph while moving West Southwestward at 10 kph.
“Fabian is unlikely to directly bring heavy rainfall in the country throughout the forecast period,” PAGASA said in its 5 a.m. tropical cyclone bulletin.
In the next 24 hours, Batanes and Babuyan Islands would have rains with gusty winds due to the typhoon.
Residents were warned of possible flash floods or landslides due to moderate to at times heavy rains. Very light to light to damage to structures and vegetation may also occur due to moderate to strong winds.
Monsoon rains due to the typhoon-enhanced southwest monsoon or “habagat” will be experienced over Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, and the northern portion of Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands.
The habagat may also bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Western Visayas and the rest of Luzon.
As for the rest of country, partly cloudy to cloudy skies with rain showers or thunderstorms may be experienced due to the habagat.
The state weather bureau said the typhoon will move generally westward or west southwestward Thursday, then generally north northwestward for the remainder of the forecast period.
“Fabian is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility Friday evening, July 23, or Saturday morning, July 24,” PAGASA said.