Signal No. 2 raised over 8 Luzon areas as Nika maintains strength

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 was raised over eight areas in Luzon as Severe Tropical Storm Nika maintained its strength while moving over the Philippine Sea, state weather bureau PAGASA said Sunday.

As of 11 a.m., PAGASA said the following areas may experience gale-force winds ranging 62 to 88 km/h in the next 24 hours, with wind impacts possibly resulting in minor to moderate threat to life and property:

• The northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler), 
• Isabela, 
• Quirino, 
• the southern portion of Cagayan (Solana, Iguig, Peñablanca, Tuguegarao City, Enrile), 
• Nueva Vizcaya, 
• Kalinga, 
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao

Meanwhile, TCWS No. 1 was raised over the following areas:

• The rest of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, 
• Apayao, 
• Abra, 
• Ilocos Norte, 
• Ilocos Sur, 
• The eastern and central portions of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Tayug, Natividad, San Quintin, Umingan, Basista, Villasis, Malasiqui, San Fabian, Urbiztondo, Bautista, Mangaldan, Mapandan, Rosales, Dagupan City, Binalonan, Aguilar, Alcala, San Manuel, Asingan, Santo Tomas, Pozorrubio, Santa Maria, City of Urdaneta, Laoac, Mangatarem, San Carlos City, Manaoag, Binmaley, San Jacinto, Bayambang, Calasiao, Santa Barbara, Balungao, Sison, Lingayen, Bugallon, Labrador), 
• La Union, 
• Benguet, 
• The rest of Aurora, 
• Tarlac, 
• Nueva Ecija, 
• Pampanga, 
• Bulacan, 
• The northern portion of Metro Manila (City of Navotas, City of Valenzuela, City of Malabon, Caloocan City, City of Marikina, City of Pasig, Quezon City), 
• Rizal, 
• The northeastern portion of Laguna (Santa Maria, Mabitac, Pakil, Pangil, Famy, Siniloan, Paete, Kalayaan, Cavinti, Lumban, Luisiana), 
• The eastern portion of Quezon (Calauag, Guinayangan, Tagkawayan, Pitogo, San Andres, Buenavista, San Francisco, Pagbilao, Infanta, Lopez, Catanauan, Mulanay, Unisan, General Luna, Plaridel, Quezon, Alabat, Sampaloc, Padre Burgos, Macalelon, Mauban, Perez, Agdangan, Gumaca, Atimonan, Real, San Narciso, General Nakar, Lucban, City of Tayabas, Lucena City) including Pollilo Islands, 
• Camarines Norte, 
• Camarines Sur, 
• Catanduanes,
• Albay (Malinao, Tiwi, Bacacay, City of Tabaco, Malilipot, Rapu-Rapu)

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 Nika was last estimated at 500 km east of Infanta, Quezon. It has a maximum sustained winds of 100 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 125 km/h, and central pressure of 985 hPa.

It was also moving westward at 30 km/h, with strong to storm-force winds extending outwards up to 300 km from the center.

The highest wind signal that may be raised during the occurrence of Nika is Signal No. 4, said PAGASA.

The northeasterly wind flow will also bring strong to gale-force gusts over the following areas:

• Sunday: Batanes, Babuyan Islands, northern Cagayan, and Ilocos Norte
• Monday: Batanes, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes
• Tuesday: Batanes and Cagayan including Babuyan Islands 

Coastal waters

PAGASA also warned that a moderate to high risk of storm surge may occur in the next 48 hours in the low-lying or exposed coastal localities of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Zambales, Aurora, Quezon including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes.

Currently, a gale warning is hoisted over the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon.

Up to very rough or high seas are thus expected over the following coastal waters:

• Up to 7.0 m: The seaboards of Isabela and northern Aurora
• Up to 5.5 m: The remaining seaboard of Aurora, the northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands; the seaboard of Camarines Norte
• Up to 4.5 m: The eastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan; the northern seaboards of Camarines Sur and Catanduanes

Track, intensity

Nika is expected to reach typhoon category on Sunday and may reach its peak intensity prior to landfall.

“A short period of weakening is expected as NIKA traverses the landmass of Luzon due to land interaction. Re-intensification may occur over the West Philippine Sea,” the state weather bureau said.

Nika is also seen to move generally west northwestward throughout the forecast period and may make landfall over Isabela or Aurora on Monday morning or early afternoon.

It will then traverse the landmass of mainland Northern Luzon and emerge over the West Philippine Sea on Monday evening. It will continue moving west northwestward over the West Philippine Sea and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Tuesday afternoon or evening.—Giselle Ombay/RF, GMA Integrated News