MANILA, Philippines - Typhoon Gener (international name Malakas) moved closer to Taiwan yesterday, but it will continue to bring rains and gusty winds over extreme Northern Luzon this weekend, the state weather bureau said.
As of 5 p.m. yesterday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) maintained tropical cyclone warning signal No. 1 over the Batanes Group of Islands.
PAGASA said Gener gained more strength and slightly slowed down as it traversed the Bashi Channel yesterday afternoon.
The eye of Gener was spotted at 200 kilometers east-northeast of Basco, Batanes as of 4 p.m., with maximum sustained winds of 160 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 195 kph.
It was forecast to move north-northwest at 20 kph from 24 kph earlier in the day.
Areas within its 400-km diameter will experience moderate to heavy rains, the agency said.
PAGASA said Gener was no longer expected to make landfall in the country.
If it maintains its present speed and track, it is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) this afternoon.
PAGASA said the provinces of Batanes, Palawan, Mindoro, Zambales and Bataan will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms today.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country, meanwhile, will be partly cloudy to cloudy with some isolated rain showers and thunderstorms.
Tomorrow, Metro Manila and the regions of Ilocos, Cordillera and Cagayan Valley and the provinces of Occidental Mindoro and Palawan (northern section) will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms.
The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with chances of some isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
PAGASA said no tropical cyclone is expected to enter PAR until Friday next week.
By Monday and Tuesday, Luzon, Visayas and the regions of Caraga, Davao, Northern Mindanao and Soccsksargen will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms.
The rest of Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
By Wednesday, Luzon and Eastern Visayas will continue to have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms, while the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
By Thursday and Friday, Luzon will be partly cloudy in the morning, becoming cloudy in the afternoon until evening with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms.
The rest of the country will have generally fair weather with chances of some isolated rain showers or thunderstorms. – With Janvic Mateo, Raymund Catindig, Rainier Allan Ronda