(Eagle News) — “Isang” has intensified into a severe tropical storm as it moves to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the center of the tropical storm is so far 560 km northeast of Itbayat, Batanes.
It is packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kph near the center and a gustiness of up to 115 kph, and is moving northwest at 20 kph.
“Isang,” however, is unlikely to directly affect the weather condition and bring heavy rainfall into the country.
The weather bureau said there are instead localized thunderstorms in Northern Luzon, with partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms expected over the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and Aurora.
The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is also affecting Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms will be experienced over Oriental Mindoro.
Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, on the other hand, will prevail over Bicol Region, Northern Samar, Marinduque and Romblon.