Weaker #UwanPH now over West Philippine Sea

Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-Wong) continued to weaken on Monday morning as it moved farther away from Luzon and into the West Philippine Sea, according to the state’s weather bureau on Monday.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the typhoon’s center was located 135 kilometers west-northwest of Bacnotan, La Union, packing maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center and gusts of up to 160 km/h. It was moving west-northwest at 20 km/h with a central pressure of 970 hPa.

PAGASA said Uwan’s circulation weakened after crossing Northern Luzon and interacting with the Sierra Madre mountain range on Sunday. However, strong to typhoon-force winds still extend outward up to 850 kilometers from the storm’s center.

Signal No. 3 remains in effect over Ilocos Sur, northern and central La Union, and the northwestern portion of Pangasinan, where storm-force winds may cause moderate to significant damage to structures and vegetation.

Signal No. 2 is still raised over Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Ilocos Norte and the rest of La Union and Pangasinan, Aurora, Zambales, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, and Bulacan.

Signal No. 1 remains hoisted over Metro Manila, parts of Southern Luzon, and portions of the Visayas, including Aklan, Capiz, and northern Antique.

Coastal, maritime hazards

PAGASA warned of life-threatening storm surges exceeding three meters along coastal areas in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Aklan, and Antique within the next 12 hours.

A gale warning is in effect for the seaboards of northern and central Luzon and the western seaboard of southern Luzon, with sea heights reaching up to eight meters in some areas.

The weather bureau advised that sea travel remains risky for all types of vessels, particularly small boats and motorbancas.

Strong to gale-force winds may also be experienced over Palawan, the Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Dinagat Islands, Soccsksargen, and parts of the Davao Region.

Uwan is expected to continue moving west-northwestward over the West Philippine Sea on Monday before turning northward by Tuesday.

PAGASA said the system may briefly re-intensify as it moves over open waters, but is forecast to weaken again as it approaches the Taiwan Strait by midweek.

The typhoon may re-enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday evening as it makes landfall over the southwestern coast of Taiwan, then emerge over the waters near the Ryukyu Islands on Thursday.

It is expected to degenerate into a remnant low by Friday.