'Linfa' no longer a threat to RP - Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said yesterday tropical storm “Linfa” is no longer a threat to the country and is now heading toward Taiwan.

Weather forecaster Joel Jesusa said Linfa, earlier expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) over the weekend, disengaged from another low-pressure area (LPA) and changed course. 

Had it entered the country, it would have been the sixth tropical cyclone this year and would have been given the local name “Feria,” Jesusa said.

Linfa has intensified and is now considered as a severe tropical storm, he added.

At 2 a.m. last Friday, Linfa was spotted 400 kilometers west of Northern Luzon with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 80 kph.

As of 2 p.m. yesterday, the storm was over the South China Sea at 380 kilometers northwest of Laoag City with maximum sustained winds of 95 kph and gustiness of up to 120 kph, Pagasa said.

It is projected to move north-northeast of Laoag.

“It would no longer enter the PAR. The trajectory is that it would move toward Taiwan and the southeastern board of China. The LPA has also left and is now going to Korea,” Jesusa said.

But Linfa would still bring strong winds and rains to Northern and Southern Luzon, prompting Pagasa to issue a gale warning.

The sea condition at the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon would be rough to high, while the western seaboard of Central Luzon would be rough to very rough.

The western sections of Northern and Central Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms, while the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to at times cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.    – Evelyn Macairan