Signal No. 1 up over 9 areas as Quinta maintains strength

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 has been raised over nine areas as tropical depression Quinta maintained its strength while moving west northwestward toward Bicol Region, PAGASA said Saturday.

In its 5 p.m. severe weather bulletin, the weather agency said the following areas have been placed under TCWS No. 1:

• Marinduque
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Catanduanes
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Northern Samar
• The northern portion of Masbate (Mobo, Uson, Milagros, Masbate City, Baleno, Mandaon, Balud, Aroroy, Dimasalang) including Ticao and Burias Islands
• The southern portion of Quezon (Atimonan, Pagbilao, Padre Burgos, Agdangan, Unisan, Plaridel, Gumaca, Pitogo, Lopez, Macalelon, General Luna, Catanauan, Mulanay, Buenavista, San Narciso, San Andres, San Francisco, Guinayangan, Calauag, Tagkawayan, Quezon, Alabat, Perez)

PAGASA said TCWS No. 1 may also be raised over Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Mindoro Provinces, Romblon, and the rest of the municipalities in Quezon in the next bulletin.

Quinta is forecast to intensify into a tropical storm within 12 hours and may further intensify into a severe tropical storm before landfall. It may make landfall over the Bicol Region between Sunday evening and early Monday morning.

At 4 p.m. on Saturday, the center of Quinta was estimated at 610 kilometers east of Juban, Sorsogon with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph.

It is moving west northwestward at 20 kph.

Hazards

From Saturday to Sunday morning, the trough of Quinta and severe tropical storm Pepito (international: Saudel) is expected to bring light to moderate with, at times, heavy rains over MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and Quezon.

A stationary front may also bring moderate to heavy rains over Batanes, Cagayan, the northern portions of Apayao, and Ilocos Norte.

Meanwhile, strong to near gale-force winds may prevail over areas under TCWS no. 1 within 36 hours of first raising the wind signal.

Due to rough to very rough seas, gale warnings have been raised over the seabords of Northern Luzon and the western seabords of Central Luzon, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, and northern Palawan, including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands.

PAGASA warned that sea travel is risky, especially for small seacraft.

The weather agency said moderate to rough seas may also prevail over the western seaboard of southern Palawan and the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon.

“Mariners of small seacrafts are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions,” PAGASA said.

A severe weather bulletin on Quinta is set to be issued at 5 a.m. on Sunday. -MDM, GMA News