Stormy weather seen over Luzon as Odette moves closer

MANILA, Philippines - Residents of northern Luzon will experience stormy weather beginning tomorrow as Tropical Storm Odette moves closer to Batanes this weekend, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned yesterday.

PAGASA weather division chief Robert Sawi said Odette is expected to make landfall over the Batanes area.

He said most parts of Luzon and the Visayas will have mostly cloudy skies with occasional to frequent rains and thunderstorms until today.

Central and southern Luzon, including Metro Manila, and western Visayas will experience rainy weather for the rest of the week.

The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms.

Sawi reiterated his warning against sea travel in southern Luzon and the Visayas due to strong winds generated by the enhanced southwest monsoon.

“Sea travel is risky to all types of vessels,“ he said.

PAGASA said Odette gathered more strength as it remained almost stationary over the sea. It is expected to become a typhoon within the next 24 hours.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the center of Odette was spotted at 770 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City with maximum sustained winds of 105 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 135 kph. The storm was forecast to move westward slowly at 7 kph.

PAGASA said a high-pressure area over Japan is blocking the path of the storm, but it is expected to accelerate today or tomorrow.

Odette is expected to be 630 km east of Tuguegarao City this morning; 330 km east of Tuguegarao tomorrow morning; and 110 km north of Aparri, Cagayan or at 100 km south of Basco, Batanes by Saturday morning.

PAGASA said the weather is expected to improve by the weekend as Odette leaves the Philippine area of responsibility.