The northeast monsoon or “amihan” is causing tropical storm “Marce” (international name “Tokage”) to move slowly, which is now expected to leave the country’s area of responsibility today.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration located Marce at 305 kilometers west of Dagupan City, Pangasinan at around 10 a.m. yesterday.
Marce, now packing maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 105 kph, is forecast to move slowly north-northwest at 11 kph. It was earlier expected to leave the country’s area of responsibility yesterday.
By tomorrow morning, it will be 385 kms west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur or outside the country’s vicinity.
PAGASA said cloudy skies with isolated rain showers and thunderstorms will be experienced over Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, northern Quezon, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales.
Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms will prevail over the rest of the country.
PAGASA said moderate to strong winds blowing from the east will prevail over Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the east to southeast with slight to moderate seas. (Ellalyn B. de Vera)