Tropical Storm Queenie (international name: Banyan) may weaken into a tropical depression on Tuesday, Nov. 1 due to increasingly unfavorable conditions and may further weaken into a low-pressure area by Thursday or earlier, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
In its 11 p.m. weather bulletin, the state weather bureau stated that Queenie was last seen 635 kilometers east of Davao City, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 km per hour (kph) near the center with gustiness of up to 80 kph and is moving west-northwestward at 20 kph.
PAGASA said from Tuesday evening through Wednesday, light to moderate with at times heavy rains may be experienced over Caraga, Eastern Visayas, and Davao Oriental while on Thursday, light to moderate with at times heavy rains is possible over Caraga, Davao Region, Northern Mindanao, Eastern and Central Visayas, and Bicol Region.
"Despite the weakening scenario within the forecast period, the hoisting of Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals is not ruled out over the eastern portion of Caraga and in some areas in Eastern Visayas tomorrow evening at the earliest. Per latest track and intensity forecast, the highest wind signal that will likely be hoisted is Wind Signal No. 1," PAGASA explained.
It added that in the next 24 hours, under the influence of Queenie, moderate to rough seas may prevail over the eastern seaboard of Mindanao. These conditions may be risky for those using small seacrafts. Mariners are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea and, if possible, avoid navigating in these conditions.
Queenie is expected to track generally west-northwestward to northwestward throughout the forecast period as it moves towards the Caraga-Eastern Visayas area.
Meanwhile, severe tropical storm Paeng continues to move further away from the country. Its center was last seen 455 km West of Sinait, Ilocos Sur outside of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
All TCWS has been lifted in relation to Paeng. However, light to moderate with at times heavy rains remains possible over MIMAROPA, Western Visayas, Zambales, and Bataan due to the trough of Paeng from Monday night to Tuesday.
Strong to gale-force winds associated with the Northeast Monsoon enhanced by Paeng may be experienced in Batanes until Tuesday, though such conditions will likely subside by Wednesday.
This tropical cyclone will continue tracking north-northwestward until Tuesday before turning northwestward on Wednesday and west-northwestward on Thursday while approaching the coast of southern China. Paeng may reach the typhoon category within 12 hours. However, a weakening trend due to cooler seas and increasingly unfavorable atmospheric conditions may begin by Tuesday evening or on Wednesday.