(Eagle News)–Signal No. 1 remains raised over Batanes even as “Betty” weakened into a severe tropical storm.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, so far, the center of the eye of “Betty” was estimated 505 km northeast of Itbayat.
It is packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kph near the center and a gustiness of up to 135 kph.
It is moving west northward at 15 kph.
PAGASA said La Union, Benguet, Ilocos Sur, and the southern portion of Abra will have accumulated rainfall from Thursday to Friday night.
As “Betty” continues to move away from the country—it is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility this afternoon or evening—PAGASA said the southwest monsoon will become the “dominant rain-causing system” in the country within the day.
In the next 24 hours, PAGASA said the enhanced southwest monsoon will bring occasional to frequent wind gusts over northern Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and Northern Samar.