Trough of STS Bebinca, Habagat will bring rain over MIMAROPA, Bicol, Visayas, parts of Mindanao.

Bebinca, the tropical cyclone outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), has intensified into a severe tropical storm while moving west northwestward over the Philippine Sea, PAGASA reported in a Tropical Cyclone Advisory posted late Wednesday evening.

The Severe Tropical Storm will not directly affect the country, but the trough of Bebinca and the southwest monsoon will bring rain showers over MIMAROPA, the Bicol region, the Visayas and parts of Mindanao.

As of 10 p.m., the center of Severe Tropical Storm Bebinca was estimated at 1,755 kilometers east of Southeastern Luzon or 2,010 km east of Central Luzon packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 115 km/h, and central pressure of 990 hPa.

Bebinca is moving west northwestward at 25 kph with strong to gale-force winds extend outwards up to 420 km from the center.

General outlook for the forecast period

The weather bureau reported that "due to the Southwest Monsoon that is starting to be enhanced by Bebinca" moderate seas are expected in the next 24 hours over the western seaboard of Palawan including Kalayaan Islands, the eastern seaboard of southern Palawan, and the eastern seaboard of Mindanao.

"Mariners of motorbancas and similarly-sized vessels are advised to take precautionary measures while venturing out to sea and, if possible, avoid navigation under these conditions," said PAGASA.

Bebinca is forecast to turn generally north northwestward on Wednesday evening to Thursday evening and is expected to shift in the northwest direction through Friday evening.

The severe tropical storm will then move west northwestward and expected to enter PAR by Friday afternoon or evening and exit PAR on Saturday morning.

PAGASA said that throughout the forecast, Bebinca will remain far from the Philippine landmass but is forecast to intensify into a typhoon category possibly by Thursday evening.

"Despite being far from the Philippine landmass and not directly affecting the country, the trough of Bebinca and the Southwest Monsoon will bring moderate to intense rainfall over MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Visayas, and the northern and western portions of Mindanao beginning tomorrow," the agency said. — BAP, GMA Integrated News