19 areas under Signal No.1 as Aghon slightly weakens

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 was raised over 19 areas on Saturday afternoon as Tropical Depression Aghon slightly weakened as it crossed Ticao Island and Masbate City, PAGASA said.

In its 2 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the following areas were under Signal No. 1:

Luzon

• Aurora
• eastern portion of Nueva Ecija (General Tinio, Gabaldon)
• eastern portion of Bulacan (Norzagaray, Doña Remedios Trinidad, City of San Jose del Monte)
• Metro Manila
• Quezon including Pollilo Islands
• Romblon (Cajidiocan, Magdiwang, San Fernando, Romblon, Corcuera, Banton, San Agustin, San Andres, Calatrava, Concepcion)
• Marinduque
• Laguna
• Rizal
• Oriental Mindoro (Pinamalayan, Pola, Naujan, Victoria, Socorro, City of Calapan)
• Batangas (Lobo, Taysan, Rosario, Padre Garcia, San Juan, Santo Tomas)
• Sorsogon
• Albay
• Catanduanes
• Camarines Sur
• Camarines Norte
• Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands

Visayas

• northern portion of Northern Samar (Rosario, Biri, San Isidro, Capul, San Vicente, Victoria, Lavezares, San Antonio, San Jose, Allen, Bobon)
• northern portion of Samar (Tagapul-An).

Minimal to minor impacts from strong winds are  possible under Wind Signal No. 1, PAGASA said, adding that the highest possible Wind Signal that may be hoisted during its passage is Wind Signal No. 2.

Track and intensity outlook

The state weather bureau said Aghon is forecast to move generally west northwestward to northwestward over Sibuyan Sea and Tayabas Bay, and may possibly make landfall over Marinduque within the next 12 hours as of posting time.

Further weakening of Aghon into Low Pressure Area (LPA) was not ruled out during the period, it added.

Aghon will then continue to move northward and may possibly make another landfall over Lucena City or Pagbilao, Quezon and emerge over Lamon Bay by Sunday morning.

Re-intensification will be possible and may reach tropical storm category by Sunday morning.

Based on the track forecast, Aghon may exit the PAR region not earlier than Tuesday.

Location of eye

Based on all available data, the cyclone's center was estimated over the coastal waters of Sibuyan Island (12.5 °N, 122.9 °E ).

The tropical cyclone is moving west northwestward at 30 km/h maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 70 km/h. — VDV, GMA Integrated News