STS “Kristine” now over the coastal waters of Southern Ilocos Sur

Severe Tropical Storm Kristine is now over the coastal waters of Southern Ilocos Sur, continuing to bring strong winds and heavy rains. Here’s the latest update:

Current Location and Intensity

As of 4:00 PM, the center of Kristine was located over the coastal waters of Santa Lucia, Ilocos Sur. It has maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h and gusts reaching up to 145 km/h. The storm is moving slowly westward.

Areas Affected by Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals (TCWS)

Luzon

TCWS No. 3
Storm-force winds (89 to 117 km/h) posing moderate to significant threats:

• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• Pangasinan

TCWS No. 2
Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h) posing minor to moderate threats:

• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• Abra
• Ifugao
• Mountain Province
• Benguet
• Ilocos Norte
• Aurora
• Nueva Ecija
• Tarlac
• Zambales
• Bataan
• Pampanga
• Bulacan

TCWS No. 1
Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h) with minimal to minor impacts:

• Batanes
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• Batangas
• Laguna
• Cavite
• Quezon
• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro
• Marinduque
• Romblon
• Northern Palawan (El Nido, Taytay, Araceli, San Vicente, Dumaran, Roxas), including Calamian Islands, Cuyo, and Kalayaan Islands
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Catanduanes
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Masbate, including Ticao and Burias Islands

Visayas

TCWS No. 1
Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h) with minimal to minor impacts:

• Aklan
• Capiz
• Antique, including Caluya Islands
• Iloilo
• Bantayan Islands
• Northern Samar
• Northern portions of Samar (Calbayog City, Almagro, Tagapul-An, Santo Nino)

Additional Hazards

• Heavy Rainfall: Flash floods and landslides are possible, particularly in mountainous areas. For specific rainfall advisories, refer to Weather Advisory No. 22.
• Coastal Inundation: Storm surge risks (up to 2 meters) exist in coastal areas of Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, and Zambales.
• Sea Conditions: Very rough seas, with waves up to 7 meters, are expected in the coastal waters of Zambales, Pangasinan, and other nearby areas. Sea travel is highly discouraged.

Outlook

Kristine is forecast to continue moving westward over the West Philippine Sea and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by tomorrow afternoon (25 October). Re-intensification is likely, and it may upgrade to a typhoon in the coming days.