Francisco forecast to weaken further within next 12 hours – Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Francisco (international name: “Mekkhala”) continued to weaken on Wednesday evening, said the state weather bureau, as it continued to head northward away from the country’s landmass.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) in its latest typhoon bulletin, Francisco was last spotted 235 kilometers (km) northeast of Itbayat, Batanes.

READ: Francisco weakens into typhoon, enhances ‘habagat’

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It currently carries maximum sustained winds of 120 km per hour (km/h) and gustiness of up to 150 km/h while moving northward.

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“Francisco is forecast to weaken into a severe tropical storm within the next 12 hours and will continue to gradually weaken throughout the forecast period,” said Pagasa.

It is then expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) by Thursday evening or Friday morning.

As it continues to get further away from the country, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 (or where winds of 39 to 61 km/h and intermittent rains may be expected in at least 36 hours) is now only raised in Batanes.

Tropical Storm Higos

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Higos, which is being monitored outside PAR by Pagasa, was last spotted 1,855 km east of Central Luzon.

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Carrying maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h and gustiness of up to 80 km/h, it continues to move west northwestward at 20 km/h.

Like Francisco, Higos is not expected to directly affect the country’s weather as it is expected to remain far from the Philippine landmass throughout its forecast period.

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However, Pagasa said Higos will likely enter PAR by Thursday evening—only for it to exit by Friday morning or afternoon.

The weather disturbance is also expected to weaken into a tropical depression by Friday. /cb

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