TROPICAL Storm Quiel has slightly intensified while remaining almost stationary over the West Philippine Sea, said the state weather bureau.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the center of Quiel was last spotted at 465 kilometers west southwest of Subic, Zambales as of 10 a.m. Wednesday, November 6.
Quiel has maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) near its center and gusts of up to 90 kph, said Pagasa.
Pagasa said the tropical storm will intensify into a severe tropical storm within 24 hours but it remains less likely to make landfall in any part of the country.
The weather bureau said that between Wednesday and Thursday morning, November 7, Quiel and the tail-end of the cold front will bring light to moderate with occasional heavy rains over Babuyan Islands, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, Antique, and portions of Palawan (Cuyo Islands and Kalayaan Islands).
Light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains will be experienced over Batanes, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Aklan, Iloilo, Oriental Mindoro, and the rest of Cagayan and Palawan, including Calamian Islands).
Pagasa has warned residents living in flood-prone or landslide-prone areas to take precautionary measures, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and continue monitoring for updates.
It added that sea travel is risky, especially for small sea vessels, over the northern and western seaboards of Luzon due to potentially rough sea conditions.
Cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms will be experienced over Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Mindoro Provinces, Palawan, Western Visayas, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Cagayan Valley Region.
Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers will be experienced by the rest of the country.
Meanwhile, Pagasa is also monitoring another powerful typhoon outside of the Philippine Area of Responsibility called "Halong".
Typhoon Halong was last spotted at 3 a.m. Wednesday at 2,985 kilometers east of extreme northern Luzon and was moving north northwest at 10 kph.
Halong has maximum sustained winds of 215 kph near its center and gusts of up to 265 kph. (EZN)