Carina maintains strength, moves toward Batanes, Babuyan Islands

Tropical Depression Carina maintained its strength as it continued to move northwestward towards the Luzon Strait, passing roughly 100 kilometers off the northeastern tip of Luzon and near Babuyan Islands and Batanes, PAGASA said Monday night.

In its 8 p.m. severe weather bulletin, the weather bureau said Carina was last seen 165 km east of Aparri, Cagayan with maximum winds of 45 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 55 km per hour.

Carina continues to move west northwestward at 15 km per hour, PAGASA said.

It is forecasted to weaken into a low pressure area on Wednesday, it added.

Meanwhile, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 is still hoisted over Batanes, Babuyan Islands and the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Camalaniugan, Aparri, Lal-lo, Gattaran and Baggao).

Areas under TCWS No. 1 may experience occasional gusts due to the tropical depression, PAGASA said.

Moderate to rough seas will also be experienced over the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon in the next 24 hours. Those with small seacrafts are advised not to venture out to see, it added.

Heavy rainfall outlook

PAGASA said Carina will bring scattered to widespread moderate to heavy rains over Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga and Ilocos Norte.

Meanwhile, scattered light to moderate with at times heavy rains will be experienced over Central Luzon and the rest of Northern Luzon.

Flooding and rain-induced landslides may also occur during heavy or prolonged rainfall, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards, PAGASA said.

Forecast positions

By Tuesday afternoon, Carina is expected to be 50 km west of Basco, Batanes.

By Wednesday afternoon, it will move to 340 km north of Basco, Batanes. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF, GMA News