Severe Tropical Storm Kristine maintains strength over West Philippine Sea

Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, internationally known as Trami, maintained its strength with maximum sustained winds of 95 kph and gustiness of 115 kph.

The storm was last spotted 125 kilometers west-northwest of Bacnotan, La Union, accelerating west-northwestward at 25 kph over the West Philippine Sea.

Kristine made landfall in Divilacan, Isabela on Thursday, then crossed Ifugao, Mountain Province, and Ilocos Sur before emerging over Ilocos Sur's coastal waters.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal no. 2 is hoisted over Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, parts of Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, northern Cavite, northern Rizal, and northern mainland Quezon.

PAGASA expects weather conditions to gradually improve over the weekend as Kristine moves away from land and exits the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Friday afternoon.

Wind signals may be lifted or downgraded as Kristine exits the PAR, though its wide diameter means outer circulation may still affect several areas.

Kristine is forecast to potentially intensify over the West Philippine Sea and may undergo a loop before potentially moving eastward towards the PAR region.