IRONMAN 70.3: Cebu braces for strong winds, rough seas from habagat

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — Precautionary measures have been set for the thousands of triathletes participating in the Ironman 70.3 Lapu-Lapu on Sunday, August 9, as the state weather bureau forecast strong winds and seas in Cebu.

In its daily forecast, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said moderate to strong winds and moderate to rough seas may affect the Visayas today.

Coastal waters, in particular, may range from 1.2 to 3.0 meters.

READ: Ironman 70.3 Lapu-Lapu Cebu: Live updates

Cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms may also occur in Cebu throughout the day, the bureau added.

These conditions are due to the prevailing southwest monsoon, or habagat, affecting most areas across Luzon and the Visayas.

Ironman 70.3 Lapu-Lapu swim course shortened

Due to strong winds and currents in the Hilutungan Channel, which separates the islands of Mactan and Olango, the Ironman 70.3 Lapu-Lapu swim course has been shortened from 1.9 kilometers to 1 kilometer.

Organizers announced the change shortly before Sunday’s race to prioritize the safety of the participating triathletes.

The race is set to begin at 5:40 a.m., with professional athletes leading the field.

Around 1,400 triathletes from around the world will participate in the endurance event.

Weather systems in the PH

Meanwhile, Pagasa has continued monitoring three weather systems outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility this Sunday morning.

As of 2 a.m. Sunday, the bureau located a tropical depression (formerly LPA 08b) at 3,415 km east of Extreme Northern Luzon.

Another tropical depression (formerly LPA 08c) was spotted at 1,950 km east of Extreme Northern Luzon.

A typhoon with the international name “Dolphin” was last monitored at 745 km north-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes.

Pagasa said Dolphin’s trough or extension will bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms to Batanes today.

As of Sunday morning, the bureau has also issued a gale warning over the seaboard of Extreme Northern Luzon as rough to very rough waves are expected throughout the day. / with a report from Glendale Rosales

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