Weather TALK [forecasts, etc]

[renzo_d10]

Pepeng weakens and expected to leave RP in the weekend.

MANILA - After almost two weeks of stormy weather, Metro Manila and parts of Luzon and the Visayas can look forward to sunny days ahead as tropical storm Pepeng (international codename Parma) is forecast to leave the country this weekend, weather bureau PAGASA said Wednesday.
PAGASA weather branch chief Nathaniel Cruz said "Pepeng" has now weakened further into a tropical depression with only 55 kph winds near the center as of 10 a.m.
"Gradual improvement of the weather is expected by Saturday as tropical depression Pepeng hopefully moves to the Pacific Ocean. In Metro Manila and the rest of the country, expect some cloudiness and isolated rainshowers but that is no longer the effect of Pepeng," Cruz said in a press briefing.
Cruz said Storm Signal No. 1 remains in effect over the Batanes Group of Islands, Cagayan, Babuyan Island, Calayan Island, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Isabela and Ifugao. Public storm signals elsewhere are now lowered, he added.
He said "Pepeng" is expected to move east northeast slowly in the next couple of days, bringing slight rain in Northern Luzon. He said PAGASA is also monitoring a low pressure area forming 1,800 km east of the Visayas as of Wednesday morning.
As of 10 a.m, four reservoirs in Luzon are still releasing water due to continuous rain brought by the tropical depression. The four are: Ambuklao and Binga Dams in Benguet; Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija and San Roque Dam in Pangasinan.
A radio dzMM report on Wednesday said ten Pangasinan towns were alerted after the water level at the San Roque Dam reached 285 meters or five meters above its spilling level.
A separate report received by ABS-CBN Dagupan said the dam's management started releasing water early morning Wednesday and continued until 8 a.m.
Authorities said the dam's water level rose due to continuous rains over the province.
The water released from the dam will flow through water channels along the towns of San Manuel, San Nicolas, Sta. Maria, Asingan, Villasis, Tayug, Alcala, Bautista, Rosales and Bayambang.

Yahoo! News