Signal No. 2 up over 9 areas in Luzon due to Maring

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 was raised over nine areas in Luzon on Monday due to Tropical Storm Maring (international name: Kompasu), according to PAGASA.

TCWS No. 2 is in effect over the following areas:

1. Batanes;
2. Cagayan including Babuyan Islands;
3. the northern portion of Isabela (Palanan, Divilacan, Maconacon, Ilagan City, Tumauini, Cabagan, San Pablo, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, Delfin Albano, Quirino, Gamu, Roxas, Mallig, Quezon);
4. Apayao;
5. Kalinga;
6. Mountain Province;
7. Abra;
8. Ilocos Norte; and
9. Ilocos Sur.

Damaging gale-force to storm-force winds are prevailing or may be expected within 24 hours in areas under TCWS No. 2.

TCWS No.1 meanwhile was hoisted over:

1. the rest of Isabela;
2. Nueva Vizcaya;
3. Quirino;
4. Ifugao;
5. Benguet;
6. La Union;
7. Pangasinan;
8. Aurora;
9. Nueva Ecija;
10. Tarlac;
11. Zambales;
12. Pampanga;
13. Bulacan;
14. the northern portion of Bataan (Samal, Morong, Dinalupihan, Abucay, Orani, Hermosa);
15. the northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta) including Polillo Islands; and
16. Calaguas Islands

Areas under TCWS No. 1 have strong winds (strong breeze to near gale conditions) with higher gusts prevailing or may expect within 36 hours. This may result in very light damage to structures and vegetation.

Rainfall

Moderate to heavy and at times intense rains are highly likley over Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Ilocos Region, PAGASA said.

Central Luzon and the rest of Cagayan Valley may possibly have light to moderate with at times heavy rains.

Flooding or landslides may occur in areas prone to these hazards.

Meanwhile, Maring is enhancing the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat). The monsoon may possibly bring rains over Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Palawan and Occidental Mindoro in the next 24 hours.

Winds

The winds may reach gale- to storm-force strength in any of the areas under TCWS No. 2 as Maring passes the Luzon Strait. This may cause generally light to moderate damage to structures and vegetation.

Meanwhile, occasional gusts reaching strong to gale-force in strength may be possibly experienced over the island, coastal, and upland/mountain localities of Visayas, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Camiguin, Zamboanga del Norte, and the rest of Luzon due to Maring's wind field and the Habagat.

Coastal waters

A gale warning was raised over the eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon and Visayas due to Maring.

Seas will be rough to high (with waves up to 7.5 meters) in the next 24 hours over the seaboards of areas under TCWS No. 2 and No. 1. Sea travel would be risky for all types of vessels.

"Mariners are advised to remain in port or take shelter in port until winds and waves subside," PAGASA said.

Meanwhile, moderate to rough seas will prevail in the rest of the seaboards of Luzon and Visayas, and the northern, eastern, and western seaboards of Mindanao. Sea travel will be risky for those with small seacraft. PAGASA advises mariners to avoid navigating in these conditions.

Location

At 4 a.m., the eye of Maring was located at 350 km east of Aparri, Cagayan. From its eye, strong winds or higher are extending outwards up to 850 km.

Maring has maximum sustained winds of 85 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 105 km/h, and central pressure of 985 hPa.

The tropical storm is moving west northwest at 25 km/h toward Extreme Northern Luzon.

Track

The tropical storm will continue moving west northwestward on Monday morning or afternoon, then turn westward.

It will be over the Luzon Strait between Monday afternoon and Tuesday early morning, passing very close or over the Babuyan Islands.

Landfall may be possible over mainland northern Cagayan, or a close approach over Batanes.

"However, considering the short-period acceleration observed over the past couple of hours, a slightly earlier traverse of Extreme Northern Luzon (i.e., beginning this morning) remains a possibility," PAGASA said.

Maring is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday morning or afternoon.

Once outside PAR, the storm will move westward over the West Philippine Sea then make landfall in the vicinity of Hainan Island, China on Wednesday morning or afternoon.

The weather bureau said Maring may intensify into a severe tropical storm within the next 12 hours, then develop into a typhoon on Tuesday over the West Philippine Sea.

It will weaken after making landfall in Hainan Island.

PAGASA advised the public and disaster risk reduction and management offices concerned to take the necessary precautions.

The next weather bulletin will be issued at 8 a.m.

Dam

On Sunday, one gate of Magat Dam in Ifugao and Isabela was opened in anticipation of the expected heavy rains from Maring. —KG, GMA News