Severe Tropical Storm FABIAN (IN-FA) StormWatch No. 04

FABIAN (IN-FA) rapidly strengthened into a Severe Tropical Storm (STS) while moving very slowly, north-northwest along the northeasternmost portion of the North Philippine Sea…continues to threaten Southern Ryukyus & Yaeyama Islands.

STS FABIAN (IN-FA) is forecast to intensify further within the next 12 to 24 hours and could become a Typhoon (TY) by tomorrow afternoon. It shall then turn sharply west-northwestward slowly at 11 kph. 

• Location of Center: Over the northeastern part of the North Philippine Sea (near 24.1°N 131.6°E)
• Distance 1: 452 km east-southeast of Okinawa, Japan
• Distance 2: 1,068 km east-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes
• Distance 3: 1,020 km east of Taipei, Taiwan

• STS IN-FA (FABIAN) remains far away from the Philippine Landmass, with no direct effect. However, the presence of this system plus another cyclone, STS CEMPAKA, located near Hong Kong – will continue to enhance the Southwest Monsoon (#Habagat) bringing scattered to “on-&-off” rain showers and thunderstorms with 30-60 kph winds across the western sections of the country through Friday, July 23.
• For the next three (3) days, STS FABIAN (IN-FA) is forecast to track generally westward, passing to the south of Okinawa on Wednesday morning (Jul 21), and traversing the Yaeyama-Miyako Islands on Thursday (Jul 22) as a 165 km/hr TY (Category 02). The probability of this forecast is high to medium and was based on the latest (8am) Typhoon Global Models.
• It may exit the northwestern border of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday evening (July 23).
• This StormWatch is valid for the next 24 hours.