By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan, PNA and U.S. News Agency / Asian

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Tuesday afternoon downgraded typhoon “Igme” (Tembin) into a tropical storm as the latter continues to weaken.

PAGASA forecaster Meno Mendoza said that as of 4 p.m. Tuesday tropical storm Igme (Tembin) was located 415 km North Northeast of Basco, Batanes (24.5°N, 123.2°E) with maximum sustained winds of 110 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 140 kph.

Mendoza said Igme was forecast to move North Northeast at 22 kph and expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. He said the storm was heading Korea, on the same path as typhoon “Julian”.

He also said that public storm signal was already lifted in Batanes group of islands as it monitored no weather disturbance nearing the Philippine territory..

PAGASA said that Luzon will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over the western sections of Northern and Central Luzon, which might trigger landslides and flash floods.

The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail over Luzon and Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough.

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the south to southwest with slight to moderate seas.