Kristine barrels through Northern Luzon; LPA outside PAR likely to become tropical depression

MANILA, Philippines — Severe tropical storm Kristine (international name: Trami) will continue to bring heavy rains and storm-force winds in parts of northern Luzon on Thursday, October 24, with signal no. 3 still in place for several provinces.

Kristine is now barrelling through the Cordillera Administrative Region and has slightly sped up after decelerating early morning of Thursday, October 24, according to state weather bureau PAGASA's 8 a.m. advisory.

As of 7 a.m., the storm's center was spotted near Aguinaldo, Ifugao, with storm-force winds extending up to 730 kilometers from the center. Now moving faster westward at 20 km per hour (up from 15 km per hour recorded at 4 a.m.), Kristine is packing sustained winds of 95 km per hour, with gusts up to 160 km per hour.

Kristine’s storm-force winds (89 kph to 117 kph) may be expected to continue pummeling provinces in northern Luzon within the next 18 hours, bringing a moderate to significant threat to life and property. The areas under signal no. 3 include:

Areas under signal no. 2 face minor to moderate threats to life and property, as gale-force winds (62 kph to 88 kph) extend across much of northern and central Luzon, including:

Strong winds (between 39 to 61 kph) are expected in parts of Luzon and Visayas under signal no. 1, with minimal to minor threats to life and property expected. These areas include Batanes, Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and parts of Northern Samar, Leyte and Aklan.

PAGASA cautioned that local winds could be stronger in coastal and upland mountainous areas exposed to the storm, while sheltered regions may experience lighter winds.

Strong to gale force gusts. The wind flow brought by Kristine, combined with the Northeasterly Windflow, is expected to bring strong to gale-force gusts on Thursday to MIMAROPA, the Bicol Region, the Visayas, and several areas in Mindanao, including Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Northern Mindanao, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental. 

Tomorrow, gusty conditions will continue in MIMAROPA, the Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Negros Occidental,