Signal No. 2 up over 5 areas as Ulysses continues to move northwestward

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 was raised over five areas in Luzon as Tropical Storm Ulysses continues to move northwestward, PAGASA said Tuesday afternoon.

In its 5 p.m. severe weather bulletin, the weather agency said the following areas are under TCWS No. 2:

• Catanduanes
• Sorsogon
• Albay
• Camarines Sur
• the eastern portion of Camarines Norte (San Vicente, Talisay, Daet, San Lorenzo Ruiz, Basud, Mercedes)

Meanwhile, the following areas are under TCWS No. 1:

Luzon

• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• the eastern portion of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Natividad, San Quintin, Umingan, Balungao, Rosales, Santa Maria, Tayug, Asingan, San Manuel)
• Aurora
• Nueva Ecija
• Tarlac
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• the central and southern portions of Zambales (Masinloc, Palauig, Iba, Botolan, Cabangan, San Felipe, San Narciso, San Marcelino, Castillejos, Subic, Olongapo City, San Antonio)
• Bataan
• Quezon including Polillo Islands
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• Laguna
• Cavite
• Batangas
• the rest of Camarines Norte
• Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Marinduque
• Romblon
• Oriental Mindoro
• Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island

Visayas

• Northern Samar
• the northern portion of Samar (Santo Nino, Almagro, Tagapul-An, Tarangnan, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, Gandara, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao)
• the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Maslog, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpo, Arteche, Jipapad)

PAGASA said Ulysses will move generally west-northwestward on Tuesday then turn westward on Wednesday morning.

The center of Ulysses is likely to make landfall over Quezon on Thursday morning with a close approach of Catanduanes and Camarines Norte on Wednesday afternoon and evening, respectively, PAGASA added.

However, the weather bureau said a slight southward shift in the orientation of the track forecast showed an increasing likelihood of a landfall over Bicol Region on Wednesday afternoon or evening.

PAGASA said Ulysses is forecasted to intensify into a severe tropical storm on Tuesday night.

“Owing to favorable conditions, this storm may rapidly intensify into typhoon category by tomorrow morning and reach its peak intensity (130-155 km/h) tomorrow afternoon or evening. Landfall at or near peak intensity is highly likely,” PAGASA said.

At 4 p.m., the center of Ulysses was located 373 kilometers east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes or 500 km east of Daet, Camarines Norte with maximum sustained winds of 85 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 105 kph. It is moving northwestward at 15 kph.

Hazards

PAGASA said areas under TCWS No. 2 will experience damaging gale to storm-force winds, while those under TCWS No. 1 will have strong breeze to near gale conditions during the passage of the storm.

PAGASA said based on the intensity forecast, the highest wind signal to be hoisted during the passage of Ulysses will be TCWS No. 3.

Meanwhile, the tail-end of a cold front will bring light to moderate, with at times, heavy rains over Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte on Tuesday.

Light to moderate, with at times, heavy rains due to Ulysses will also prevail over Aurora, Quezon, Bicol Region, Eastern and Central Visayas, Caraga, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Bangsamoro.

Moderate to heavy rains associated with the rainbands of Ulysses will also begin affecting the Bicol Region and portions of Eastern Visayas on Wednesday.

PAGASA advised affected residents to prepare for possible flash floods, landslides and sediment-laden streamflows during heavy or prolonged rainfall.

In the next 48 hours, PAGASA said a storm surge of 1.0 to 2.0 meters might also be experienced over CALABARZON, Aurora, Camarines Provinces, Catanduanes, Albay, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Romblon, Marinduque, the western coastal area of Masbate including Burias Island, and the northern coastal areas of Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro including Lubang Island.

“These storm surges, which may be accompanied by swells and breaking waves reaching the coast can cause life-threatening and damaging coastal inundation,” PAGASA said.

Moreover, in the next 24 hours, rough to very rough seas (2.5 to 5.0 m) will prevail over the entire seaboards of Northern Luzon and the seaboards of Kalayaan Islands due to the surge of the northeast monsoon.

PAGASA said Ulysses will bring rough to very rough seas (2.5 to 5.0 m) over the seaboards of areas under TCWS and the eastern seaboard of Eastern Samar that are not under TCWS.

Moderate to rough seas will also be experienced over the remaining seaboards of the country.

“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.—LDF, GMA News