Flash update: Cebu Pacific, PAL flight cancellations due to Typhoon Santi

As of now, I just hope this typhoon isn’t as bad as what the weathermen are predicting. Typhoon Santi, change course, if you may. Or break it to us gently.

Classes were suspended this morning in Metro Manila. No wonder, my son waited for his school bus but it didn’t come.

The passage of commercial boats around Southern Luzon have also been suspended, spoiling the vacation plans of people who wanted to go home to provinces like Quezon, Batangas and Bicol for the long All Saints’ Day holiday, a time when Filipinos honor their dead.

And so far, the following Cebu Pacific flights for tomorrow (October 31, 2009) have been cancelled:

5J 851/852 (Zamboanga), 559/561/554 (Cebu), 781/782 (Ozamiz), 325/326 (Legazpi) 5J 379/ 380/ 381/ 382 (Cagayan de Oro), 961 (Davao), 651/652 (Tacloban), 993/994 (GenSan), 473/474 (Bacolod), 451/452 (Iloilo), 5J 521/522 (Naga), 331/332 (Kalibo), 821/822 (Virac), 108/109 (Hong Kong) and 801/802 (Singapore).
Read more

PAGASA weather forecast : six to nine tropical cyclones still expected from October to December

Hopefully, Typhoon Ondoy is the worst to pass the country this year. But since the monsoon season isn’t over yet, Philippine weather bureau PAGASA said six to seven tropical cyclones are still expected to strike the country for the remainder of the year, from October to December 2009.

Aside from the onset of more storms, other factors likely to influence weather in the country are the tail end of the cold front, intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), ridge of high pressure area (HPA), and easterlies. There will also be a seasonal shift from Habagat to Amihan monsoon winds.

Areas expected to be affected by forthcoming storms are central and southern parts of Luzon and Visayas, with secondary tracks over Northern Mindanao.

“Rainfall distribution during October is likely to be below normal in most parts of Northern and Central Luzon, Western Visayas, Palawan, and some portions of Southern Mindanao . Southern Luzon , Bicol region including Metro Manila will likely have near normal to above normal rainfall conditions. The rest of the country is expected to experience near normal rainfall conditions,” PAGASA said.

Read more

State of calamity and Typhoon Pepeng weather update

Note: as of 5 p.m. PAGASA said Pepeng has slowed down, but could still threaten Central Luzon.

Work in our government office was suspended before 4 p.m. today to be able to give us ample time to return home, in preparation for the coming of supertyphoon Pepeng (international code name: Parma). The same was true in other offices, except perhaps call centers and BPOs which deal with clients abroad. Elsewhere, evacuation has started in areas believed to be targeted by the typhoon , with maximum sutained winds of 195kph.The entire country has been placed under a state of calamity.

At 1 p.m. today (October 2), Pepeng continued to move west northwest and increased its threat to the Isabela-Aurora area.

As of 10 a.m., the eye of typhoon Pepeng was located at 180 km. east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes, with maximum sutained winds of 195 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kph

It is forecast to move west northwest at 19 kph and expected to be 60 km east of Casiguran, Aurora by tomorrow morning (October 3). It is expected to make a landfall in Isabela, Aurora by mid Saturday, 80 km west of Laoag City by Saturday morning and 400 km west southwest of Basco, Batanes.

Storm signal no. 3 is up in Catanduanes

Storm signal No. 2 is now hoisted over Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quirino, Northern Quezon, Polilio Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur

Storm Signal No. 1 has been placed over Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Benguet, La Union, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, tarlac, zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Southern Quezon, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Burias island and Northern Samar.

(via NDCC and PAGASA)

Read more