Tropical storm “Dante” (international name “Choi-wan”) was forecast to bring moderate to heavy rains over parts of Luzon and Visayas as the severe weather disturbance will likely maintain its strength until making landfall over mainland Luzon.

In its 11 a.m. weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the center of the storm was last spotted over the northwestern coastal waters of Romblon, Romblon or 115 km southeast of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro as of 10 a.m.

Dante has maintained its maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph while moving northwest at 25 kph.

Tropical cyclone wind signal No. 2 has been raised over Romblon, Marinduque, northern and central portion of Oriental Mindoro, northern and central portion of Occidental Mindoro, Batangas, Cavite, Bataan, southwestern portion of Bulacan, western portion of Pampanga, Zambales, western portion of Tarlac, and western portion of Pangasinan.

Signal No. 1 is still up over the northern portion of Palawan, the rest of Oriental Mindoro, the rest of Occidental Mindoro, western portion of Quezon, western and central portion of Laguna, Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, the rest of Pampanga, the rest of Tarlac, western portion of Nueva Ecija, the rest of Pangasinan, the southern portion of Benguet, La Union, Aklan, Capiz, northern portion of Antique, and northwestern portion of Iloilo.

Expect moderate to heavy rains

Within the 24-hour period, Dante is forecast to bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Calabarzon, Romblon, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Zambales, and Bataan.

Moderate to heavy rains may be felt over Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, the northern portion of Palawan including Calamian, Cuyo, and Cagayancillo Islands, and Negros Occidental.

On the other hand, light to moderate with at times heavy rains may occur over the rest of Central Luzon, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, the rest of Mimaropa, Negros Oriental, and Cebu including Camotes and Bantayan Islands.

Track and intensity outlook

The state weather bureau said Dante will continue moving generally northwestward and may pass near or in the vicinity of Oriental Mindoro or the southwestern portion of Batangas before turning north northwestward making another landfall over Bataan tonight.

Afterwards, it will then traverse the Zambales and Pangasinan area and emerge over the West Philippine Sea Thursday morning, June 3.

“This tropical storm is forecast to maintain its strength until it makes landfall over mainland Luzon. Further land interaction with the rugged terrain of mainland Luzon will weaken Dante into a tropical depression (Thursday),” the agency said.

According to PAGASA, Dante made its first landfall over Sulat, Eastern Samar at around 8:30 p.m. on June 1, second landfall over Cataingan, Masbate at 1 a.m. on June 2, third landfall over Balud, Masbate at 3:30 a.m. June 2, fourth landfall over Romblon, Romblon at 8 a.m. on June 2), and fifth landfall over San Agustin, Romblon at 8:50 a.m. on June 2.

'Dante’s' forecast track

The agency said Dante will likely be over the coastal waters of Lian, Batangas by 8 p.m. Wednesday, and may weaken into a tropical depression upon reaching 115 km west northwest of Baguio City, Benguet by Thursday, June 3.

By Friday morning, June 4, Dante will likely be 215 km west of Basco, Batanes, and may be 140 km north northwest of Itbayat, Batanes by Friday night.

By Saturday, June 5, the weather disturbance may be located 520 km north northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, and may further weaken into a remnant low.