Signal No. 1 raised over 6 areas as Maymay moves southwestward

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 was raised on Tuesday over six areas in Luzon due to Tropical Depression Maymay, PAGASA said in its bulletin.

TCWS No. 1 was hoisted over the following areas:

• Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Aurora
• Nueva Ecija
• the extreme northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta) including Pollilo Islands

There will be strong winds in these areas but the potential impact is minimal with minor threat to life and property.

Maymay was the former Low Pressure Area (LPA) east of Casiguran, Aurora which has developed into a tropical depression at 12 a.m. Tuesday.

At 4 a.m., the center of Maymay was estimated at 300 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 55 km/h, and central pressure of 1006 hPa.

Maymay is moving southwestward at 10 km/h with strong winds extending outwards up to 200 km from the center.

The tropical depression is expected to make landfall in the vicinity of southern Aurora or the northern portion of Quezon by Wednesday afternoon or evening.

Hazards affecting land areas

On Tuesday through Wednesday morning, moderate to heavy with at times intense rains will be experienced in Cagayan, Isabela, and Apayao while light to moderate with at times heavy rains are forecasted over Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Aurora, and Kalinga.

"Under these conditions, scattered to widespread flooding (including flash floods) and rain-induced landslides are expected especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazard as identified in hazard maps, and in localities with significant antecedent rainfall," PAGASA reported.

Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Batanes, Cagayan, and Isabela will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to Maymay and a shearline with possible flash floods or landslides due to moderate to heavy rains.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms with possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms.

Meanwhile, PAGASA continues to monitor the another active tropical cyclone that is still outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

This tropical depression, as of 3 a.m., was located 1,730 kilometers east of eastern Visayas packing maximum winds of 45 kilometers per hour, gustiness of up to 55 km/h, and moving north northwestward at 35 km/h.

It is expected to enter PAR on Thursday. Once it is inside PAR, the tropical depression will be named Neneng.

Neneng will slowly get nearer to Luzon and may possibly bring heavy to intense rains.

Hazards affecting coastal areas

PAGASA also reported that due to Maymay and the northeast monsoon, a marine gale warning is in effect over the northern seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon.

The strong surge of northeast monsoon in the next 24 hours may also bring moderate to rough seas over the western seaboard of Central Luzon that poses a risk for small seacraft.

The weather bureau warned that mariners should take precautionary measures and avoid navigating in these conditions if possible.

Track and intensity outlook

Maymay is forecast to slow down and generally move southwestward in the next 48 hours.

"The center of Maymay will move west southwestward and cross several provinces in Central Luzon before emerging over the West Philippine Sea by Thursday morning or afternoon," said PAGASA.

"The possibility of being downgraded into a Low-Pressure Area is likely as it crosses the Central Luzon," the agency added.

The next weather bulletin will be issued by PAGASA at 11 a.m. —BAP/KG, GMA News