The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Friday evening, Oct. 25, that all wind signals raised due to Severe Tropical Storm “Kristine” (international name “Trami”) have been lifted, as the storm no longer poses a threat to any part of the country.
In its 11 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the center of the eye of Kristine was located 535 kilometers west of Bacnotan, La Union, outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
The severe tropical storm has maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 115 kph.
PAGASA said Kristine will continue to move westward over the West Philippine Sea until Saturday, Oct. 26.
It is expected to loop counterclockwise on Sunday and Monday, Oct. 27 and 28, before shifting eastward in the succeeding days.
However, PAGASA noted that this scenario will depend on the behavior of Tropical Storm “Kong-rey” (international name) and other surrounding weather systems while over the West Philippine Sea.
Meanwhile, Kong-rey was located 1,980 kilometers east of Central Luzon or 1,780 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon.
It has maximum sustained winds of 65 kp near the center and gusts reaching up to 80 kph.
PAGASA said Kong-rey is expected to enter the PAR on Saturday or Sunday, at which point it will be given the local name “Leon.”
Once inside the PAR, it is projected to turn northwestward on Tuesday, Oct. 29, followed by a general northward movement on Wednesday, Oct. 30, over the Philippine Sea.
Depending on its proximity during this “recurvature,” PAGASA said the outer rainbands of the storm may affect extreme Northern Luzon.
Likewise, it could continue to influence the southwesterly wind flow initially triggered by Kristine, which may affect the western sections of Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in the coming days.