Severe Tropical Storm Kristine exits PAR but reentry not ruled out
MANILA, Philippines – Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami) left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at 2 pm on Friday, October 25, but its outer rainbands will still affect parts of Luzon. There are areas remaining under Signal No. 1, too, given Kristine’s wide circulation.
Reentry into PAR the following week is also a possibility.
As of 4 pm on Friday, Kristine was already 410 kilometers west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur. The severe tropical storm is moving west northwest at a faster 30 kilometers per hour from the previous 15 km/h.
It continues to have maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h and gustiness of up to 115 km/h.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the Ilocos Region, Zambales, and Bataan may still have moderate to heavy with at times intense rain due to Kristine’s outer rainbands, while the rest of Luzon could see scattered rain and thunderstorms from the trough of the severe tropical storm on Friday evening.
Scattered rain and thunderstorms may also hit the Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Northern Mindanao, but due to the southwesterly windflow partly triggered by Kristine. The rain could be moderate to at times heavy.
Also due to the southwesterly windflow, the rest of Mindanao could have isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
Meanwhile, Signal No. 1 is still in effect for the following areas, which means they will continue to see strong winds from Kristine:
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- Pangasinan
- Apayao
- Kalinga
- Abra
- Mountain Province
- Ifugao
- Benguet
- Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
- Isabela
- Quirino
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Nueva Ecija
- Tarlac
- Zambales
- Bataan
- Pampanga
- Bulacan
- Metro Manila
- northern part of Rizal (Cainta, Rodriguez, San Mateo, Antipolo City, Taytay)
- northern part of Cavite (Ternate, Naic, Tanza, Rosario, Bacoor City, Kawit, Noveleta, Cavite City, General Trias City, Imus City, Maragondon)
Signal No. 3 was the highest tropical cyclone wind signal raised due to the severe tropical storm.
In addition, the southwesterly windflow will bring strong to gale-force gusts to these areas:
Friday, October 25
- Mimaropa, Bicol, Visayas, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Soccsksargen, Davao Region
Saturday, October 26
- Palawan, Romblon, Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Siquijor, Bohol, Southern Leyte, Zamboanga del Norte, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte
Sunday, October 27
- Palawan, Romblon, Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte
PAGASA has already lifted all storm surge warnings which were issued because of Kristine.
On Thursday, October 24, Kristine made landfall in Divilacan, Isabela, then crossed Ifugao, Mountain Province, and Ilocos Sur. It emerged over Ilocos Sur’s coastal waters on the same day but was generally slow-moving, and continued to unleash rain and winds.
Before hitting land, Kristine already triggered moderate to torrential rain that caused massive floods, with Bicol among the hardest-hit regions.
Kristine was the country’s 11th tropical cyclone for 2024 and the first for October.
PAGASA still expects Kristine to generally move west — or away from PAR — over the West Philippine Sea until Saturday, October 26. While over the West Philippine Sea, it may gradually intensify, although there could be a weakening trend by early next week due to a “possible surge” of the northeasterly windflow.
Reentry into PAR is not being ruled out because Kristine could make a U-turn or a loop counterclockwise from Sunday, October 27, to Monday, October 28. Following this U-turn, it may head east — or toward PAR.
“However, this scenario heavily depends on the behavior of the tropical cyclone east of the PAR region (Kong-rey) and the behavior of other synoptic weather systems surrounding Kristine while over the West Philippine Sea,” PAGASA said.
The tropical cyclone east of PAR that the weather bureau is referring to already intensified from a tropical depression into a tropical storm at 4 pm on Friday. Its international name is Kong-rey.
Tropical Storm Kong-rey was located 2,355 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon at 4 pm, moving northwest at 35 km/h.
It has maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h and gustiness of up to 80 km/h.
PAGASA said Kong-rey may enter PAR on Sunday. It would be given the local name Leon.
The potential Leon is seen to remain far from Philippine landmass, although its track “may still shift within the limit of the forecast confidence cone.”
It is also projected to gradually intensify and may strengthen into a severe tropical storm on Sunday and a typhoon on Monday.
“Depending on how close it will be during its recurvature over the Philippine Sea, the outer rainbands of Kong-rey may also affect extreme Northern Luzon,” PAGASA said.
“Furthermore, it may also continue to influence the southwesterly windflow initially triggered by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, which may affect the western section of Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in the coming days.” – Rappler.com