Falcon strengthens, threatens Batanes

Naga City Philippines (June 22, 2011 9:00 A.M.) - While Tropical Depression Falcon is not expected to make a landfall anywhere in mainland Luzon, the province of Batanes is still at risk of being hit as the weather system moves more northerly than Egay.

Falcon has a very wide diameter causing it longer time to develop and is now moving West Northwest at 22 kilometers per hour towards Batanes-Taiwan area. Its outer rainbands are now spreading across the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas and it enhances the Southwest Monsoon Rains across the Visayas and Mindanao.

At 6:00 A.M. today the center of Falcon was located 615 kilometers East of Legazpi City or 675 kilometers East Southeast of Metro Naga/CWC at coordinates 13.0º North Latitude 129.4º East Longitude. It packs a sustained wind of 45 kilometers per hour near the center with gustiness up to 65 kilometers per hour.

Consolidated forecast models predict that Falcon shall be 520 kilometers away from the east coast of Pandan, Catanduanes this afternoon; 635 km East Southeast of Casiguran, Aurora tomorrow morning;445 km East of Palanan Bay, Isabela tomorrow afternoon (Thursday); and 365 km East Southeast of Basco, Batanes at 2:00 A.M. on Friday.

Batanes is the only province that remains at risk of a direct hit.

Falcon is expected to be upgraded to Tropical Storm tomorrow morning and shall be at typhoon strength before it exits the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday. (Vox Bikol)