'Ambo' slightly weakens, remains over Ilocos coast

MANILA, Philippines (Update 1, 12:10 p.m.) — Tropical storm Ambo (international name: Vongfong) has slightly weakened late Saturday morning, PAGASA said.

It has maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 100 kph, according to state weather bureau PAGASA's 11:00 a.m. severe weather bulletin today.

This marks a continued decrease from its strength hours before with 75 kph wind speed and 125 kph gustiness as of the 8:00 a.m. severe weather bulletin.

"This is in the lower limit of the tropical storm category as of now...we are expecting it to further weaken in the coming hours," said weather specialist Loriedin de la Cruz in Filipino during PAGASA's 11:00 a.m. press briefing on Saturday.

Tropical storms are cyclones with a maximum wind speed of 62 to 88 kph or 34 to 47 knots (nautical miles per hour), with the lower classification of tropical depressions having maximum wind speeds of up to 61 kph or less than 33 knots.

The storm's center was estimated 40 km northwest of Sinait in Ilocos Sur, moving northwest at 25 kph.

Moderate to heavy rains are forecast over Cagayan Valley, while light to moderate with at times heavy rains are expected in Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region and the northern portions of Aurora and Zambales.

“Flooding and rain-induced landslides may occur in highly to very highly susceptible areas during heavy or prolonged rainfall,” PAGASA said in its bulletin.

It advised affected residents to take appropriate measures, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices and monitor for updates on local rainfall or thunderstorm advisories, as well as heavy rainfall warnings from PAGASA Regional Services Divisions.

“Ambo” — the first tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year — is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Monday.

Meanwhile, PAGASA hoisted tropical cyclone wind signals over the following areas:

TCWS No. 2

• Babuyan Islands
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• Abra

TCWS No. 1

• Batanes
• Cagayan
• Western portion of Isabela (Sta, Maria, Sto. Tomas, Delfino Albano, San Pablo, Cabagan, Tumauini, Quirino, Mallig, Quezon, Roxas, San Manuel, Burgos, Gamu, Reina Mercedes, Luna, Aurora, Cabatuan, San Mateo, Ramon)
• Western portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Villaverde, Solano, Bayombong, Ambaguio, Bambang, Kayapa, Aritao, Santa Fe)
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• Benguet
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• La Union
• Pangasinan

Forecast positions

• 24 hour (Sunday morning): 115 km west-northwest of Calayan, Cagayan
• 48 hour (Monday morning):470 km northeast of Basco, Batanes
• 72 hour (Tuesday morning): 1,970 km northeast of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)