Odette is moving westward at 15 kph and expects to reach Palawan this morning or afternoon

Typhoon Odette was crossing the Sulu Sea between Cuyo and Cagayancillo Islands on Friday morning and is expected to make another landfall in the vicinity of Palawan’s northern or central portion by afternoon.

This was the latest bulletin from the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), which also said that at 7 a.m. today Friday December 17th, Odette’s eye was seen 155 kilometers 
(km) west-southwest of Iloilo City or 90 km south southeast of Cuyo, Palawan.

It added that Odette was moving westward at 15 kilometers per hour (kph), as it packed maximum sustained winds of 155 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 235 kph.

“Moving generally westward, the typhoon is forecast to make landfall in the vicinity of the northern or central portion of Palawan this morning or afternoon, re-emerge over the West Philippine Sea tonight, and pass in the vicinity of Kalayaan Islands tomorrow."

"The typhoon is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility tomorrow morning or early afternoon,” Pagasa said in its 8 a.m. advisory Friday.

“Odette may still see some slight weakening until it crosses Palawan, but it is forecast to remain as a typhoon. Re-intensification is likely once Odette emerges over the West Philippine Sea. However, continuous weakening may ensue beginning Sunday as the typhoon becomes exposed to increasing vertical wind shear and the surge of the Northeast Monsoon,” the state weather bureau added.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 remains raised over many areas.

Central and Western Visayas will experience heavy to torrential rains until Friday morning while moderate to heavy with at times intense rains will occur over Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Lanao del Norte, Palawan, and Bicol Region. Light to moderate with at times heavy rains over Quezon, and the rest of MIMAROPA and the rest of Mindanao.

PAGASA said areas under TCWS No. 4 will have very destructive typhoon-force winds of up to 175 kph while destructive typhoon-force winds will be experienced within any of the areas where TCWS No. 3 is in effect.

Because of the threats of Typhoon Odette, 113 flights between Manila and various domestic routes were canceled as of 1:45 p.m. Thursday. 

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