Signal No. 3 over northwestern Ilocos Norte

Signal No. 3 has been raised over the northwestern portion of Ilocos Norte as Severe Tropical Storm Florita moved over the West Philippine Sea (WPS), PAGASA reported Tuesday evening.

According to its 11 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the center of the eye was last seen 80 kilometers northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. It continues to move westward while packing maximum sustained winds of 95 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 115 km per hour.

Heavy rains and severe winds will continue to affect parts of the country until tomorrow, with the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) forecasted to bring monsoon rains in the next 24 hours.

A gale warning also remains in effect over the seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon, most of the seaboards of Southern Luzon, and the western seaboard of Visayas, PAGASA added.

Florita is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Wednesday morning.

It is forecast to generally move west-northwestward over the WPS towards the southern portion of China where it is expected to make landfall on Thursday morning or early afternoon.

Over the WPS, the tropical cyclone may re-intensify and reach the typhoon category by Wednesday evening.

Signal No. 3 is hoisted over:

• Northwestern portion of Ilocos Norte (Bacarra, Pasuquin, Burgos, Bangui)

Signal No. 2:

• Northwestern portion of mainland Cagayan (allesteros, Abulug, Pamplona, Sanchez-Mira, Claveria, Santa Praxedes, Aparri, Allacapan, Lasam, Rizal)
• Western portion of Babuyan Islands (Calayan Is., Dalupiri Is., Fuga Is.)
• Apayao
• Abra
• Rest of Ilocos Norte
• Northern and central portions of Ilocos Sur (Quirino, Gregorio del Pilar, Salcedo, Santa Lucia, Galimuyod, City of Candon, San Emilio, Lidlidda, Banayoyo, Santiago, Burgos, San Esteban, Santa Maria, Nagbukel, Narvacan, Santa, Santa Catalina, San Vicente, Bantay, Santo Domingo, San Ildefonso, Caoayan, City of Vigan, Magsingal, San Juan, Cabugao, Sinait)

Signal No. 1

• Batanes
• Rest of Babuyan Islands
• Rest of mainland Cagayan
• Isabela
• Northern and central portions of Nueva Vizcaya (Diadi, Bagabag, Villaverde, Aritao, Kayapa, Santa Fe, Bambang, Ambaguio, Dupax del Sur, Kasibu, Quezon, Dupax del Norte, Solano, Bayombong)
• Northern portion of Quirino (Maddela, Aglipay, Saguday, Diffun, Cabarroguis)
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• Rest of Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• Northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran)

—NB, GMA News