Aghon slightly intensifies, Signal No. 2 still up in Calabarzon areas

Many areas in Region 4-A remained under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 as Tropical Storm Aghon (international name: Ewiniar) slightly intensified late Sunday morning, according to state weather bureau PAGASA.

As of 11 a.m., PAGASA said the following areas were under TCWS No. 2, which wind impacts may also result in minor to moderate threat to life and property:

• the northern and central portions of Quezon (Alabat, Perez, Quezon, Gumaca, Lopez, Macalelon, General Luna, Unisan, Pitogo, Plaridel, Agdangan, Padre Burgos, Atimonan, Mauban, Real, General Nakar, Infanta, Sampaloc, Pagbilao, Calauag, Lucban, City of Tayabas, Lucena City, Tiaong, Candelaria, Sariaya, Dolores, San Antonio) including Polillo Islands;
• Laguna;
• the eastern portion of Batangas (City of Tanauan, San Jose, Lipa City, Mataasnakahoy, Balete, Malvar, Santo Tomas, Cuenca, San Pascual, Batangas City, Ibaan, Padre Garcia, Rosario, San Juan, Taysan, Lobo); and
• the eastern portion of Rizal (Jala-Jala, Pililla, Tanay, Cardona, Binangonan, Morong, Baras).

Gale-force winds ranging 62 to 88 km/h may occur in these areas within the next 24 hours.

TCWS No. 1, on the other hand, was raised over the following areas:

• the southeastern portion of Isabela (Palanan, Dinapigue);
• the southern portion of Quirino (Maddela, Nagtipunan);
• the southern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castaneda, Dupax del Sur, Dupax del Norte);
• the eastern and southern portions of Nueva Ecija (General Tinio, Gabaldon, Bongabon, Pantabangan, Rizal, General Mamerto Natividad, Laur, Palayan City, Peñaranda, San Leonardo, City of Gapan, Cabanatuan City, Santa Rosa, San Isidro, Cabiao, San Antonio, Jaen, Zaragoza, Aliaga, Talavera, Llanera);
• the southern portion of Bataan (Orani, Samal, City of Balanga, Abucay, Pilar, Orion, Limay, Mariveles, Bagac);
• Aurora;
• the eastern portion of Pampanga (Candaba, San Luis, San Simon, Apalit, Santa Ana, Arayat, Mexico, Santa Rita, Guagua, Sasmuan, Macabebe, Masantol, Santo Tomas, Minalin, City of San Fernando, Bacolor, Lubao);
• Bulacan;
• Metro Manila;
• the rest of Quezon;
• the rest of Rizal;
• Cavite;
• the rest of Batangas;
• the northern and central portions of Oriental Mindoro (Pinamalayan, Pola, Naujan, Victoria, Socorro, City of Calapan, Bansud, Gloria, Baco, San Teodoro, Puerto Galera, Bongabong);
• Marinduque;
• the extreme northern portion of Romblon (Concepcion, Corcuera, Banton);
• Camarines Norte; and
• Camarines Sur.

Strong winds from 39 to 61 km/h may be expected in these areas within the next 36 hours. Wind impacts may result in minimal to minor threat to life and property.

PAGASA said the center of Aghon was spotted at 10 a.m. in the vicinity of Sariaya, Quezon with maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 125 km/h, and central pressure of 996 hPa.

It was moving west northwestward at 10 km/h.

Strong to gale-force winds also extended outwards up to 220 km from the center.

Track, intensity

PAGASA said Aghon is seen to move across the landmass of mainland Calabarzon and Polillo Islands in the next 12 hours.

The forecast said the tropical storm is expected to be over the waters off the east coast of Quezon or Aurora on Sunday evening or early Monday morning. During this period, Aghon will likely remain as a tropical storm although its weakening into a tropical depression while over mainland Calabarzon is also possible due to land interaction.

From Monday through the remainder of the forecast period, Aghon will also gradually accelerate northeastward while intensifying.

It is expected to reach a severe tropical storm category on Monday, and may reach Typhoon category by Tuesday afternoon or evening.

It may then exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Wednesday.

Rainfall

PAGASA said more than 200 millimeters of accumulated rainfall is expected in Quezon province from Sunday to Monday noon.

About 100-200 mm of accumulated rainfall is seen in Aurora, the eastern portion of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Metro Manila, and Camarines Norte, while 50-100 mm may pour over the eastern portion of Isabela, Nueva Ecija, the rest of Bulacan, the eastern portion of Pampanga, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, Burias Island, the western portion of Camarines Sur, Cuyo Islands, Aklan, and Antique.

The state weather bureau warned that flooding and rain-induced landslides are likely, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards, as well as in localities that experienced considerable amounts of rainfall for the past several days.

Coastal waters

Within the next 24 hours, there is also a minimal to moderate risk of storm surge over the exposed and low-lying coastal areas of Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mindoro Provinces, Marinduque, Romblon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay (west coast), Burias Island, mainland Masbate (northwest coast), and Aklan.

PAGASA said a gale warning was hoisted over the coastal waters of Aurora, Quezon, and Marinduque, and the southern coastal waters of Batangas, and the northern coastal waters of Camarines Norte.

Sea travel is thus risky for small seacrafts, including all motor bancas of any type of tonnage.

Aghon will also bring moderate to rough seas (1.5 to 3.5 m) over the coastal waters along the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon and the seaboard of Bicol Region.

Mariners of motorbancas and similarly-sized vessels were advised to take precautionary measures while venturing out to sea and just avoid navigating in these conditions, if possible. 

Four persons were reportedly injured in the Bicol region due to Aghon, said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Sunday.

Some flights for Sunday, May 26, were also canceled due to the bad weather caused by Aghon. —KG/RF, GMA Integrated News