Bebinca to enter PAR by Friday, enhance Habagat

Severe Tropical Storm Bebinca begins to turn north northwestward and is forecasted to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Friday afternoon or early evening, according to the latest Tropical Cyclone advisory posted by PAGASA late Thursday evening.

As of 10 p.m. Bebinca was estimated at 1,725 km east of Extreme Northern 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 north northwestward at the speed of 25 kph with strong to storm-force winds extend outwards up to 580 km from the center.

Bebinca is forecast to turn northwestward on Friday, then west northwestward on Saturday and enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Friday afternoon or evening and exit the PAR region in the late evening or Saturday morning.

Throughout the forecast period, PAGASA said, Bebinca will remain far from the Philippine landmass.

Heavy rainfall is expected as the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat will continue to be enhanced by Bebinca.

The weather bureau also reported that in the next 24 hours, the enhanced Southwest Monsoon will bring moderate to rough seas over the eastern seaboard of Mindanao, the seaboards of Palawan, the western seaboard of Visayas, the northern seaboard of Luzon, the eastern and southern seaboards of Visayas, and the northern and western seaboards of Mindanao.

"Mariners of small seacrafts, including all types of motorbancas, are advised not to venture out to sea under these conditions, especially if inexperienced or operating ill-equipped vessels," PAGASA warned.

PAGASA also said that moderate seas are expected in the next 24 hours over the southern seaboard of Mindanao, the eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon and Bicol Region, and the remaining seaboard of MIMAROPA so mariners of motorbancas and similarly-sized vessels are advised to take precautionary measures and to avoid navigation if possible. — BAP, GMA Integrated News