Severe Tropical Storm Paolo (international name: Matmo) is moving west-northwest toward southern China after exiting the Philippine area of responsibility, the state weather bureau said on Saturday, Oct. 4.
In its 11 a.m. advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) lifted all the tropical wind signals advisory.
However, they said Paolo’s outer rain bands may still bring storm to gale-force gusts over Batanes, northern Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Apayao, Zambales, and Bataan.
Moderate to rough seas are expected over the seaboards of Ilocos Region, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Zambales, mainland Cagayan, Isabela and Bataan. The bureau warned that small vessels and motorbancas should avoid sailing in these conditions.
Pagasa located Paolo’s center at 440 kilometers west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur. It retained its momentum, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center, gusts of up to 135 kph, and was moving west-northwest at 20 kph.
Paolo may re-intensify into a typhoon while moving over the West Philippine Sea.
Meanwhile, a low-pressure area being monitored outside the Philippine area of responsibility now has a high chance of developing into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours. /das