Ursula now a typhoon; 40 areas under storm signals

Ursula has intensified into a typhoon ahead of its expected landfall over the Borongan-Guiuan area in Eastern Samar between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Christmas Eve, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

In its 2 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said storm signals remained hoisted over more than 40 areas across the country.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 was raised over:

• Northern Samar
• Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Camotes Islands

PAGASA added that destructive typhoon force winds will begin affecting areas under TCWS No. 3 on Tuesday afternoon.

The weather bureau also warned residents against a possible storm surge of up to 2 meters in several coastal areas of Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Leyte.

Meanwhile, TCWS No. 2 was hoisted over:

• southern portion of Quezon (Mulanay, San Narciso, San Andres, San Francisco)
• Marinduque
• Oriental Mindoro
• Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island
• Romblon
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands
• Extreme northern Cebu including Bantayan (Bantayan, Madridejos, Santa Fe, Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remigio, Bogo City, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Borbon, San Francisco, Poro, Tudela, Pilar)
• Northeastern Iloilo (Carles, Balasan, Estancia, Batad, San Dionisio, Sara, Concepcion, Lemery, Ajuy)
• Northern Antique (Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, Culasi, Tibiao)
• Capiz
• Aklan
• Southern Leyte and extreme Northern Negros Occidental (Enrique B. Magalona, Victorias, Manapla, Cadiz, Sagay, Escalante, Toboso)
• Dinagat Islands

PAGASA said damaging gale to storm-force winds will begin affecting areas under TCWS No. 2 in Southern Leyte on Tuesday afternoon; in Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Romblon, Aklan, Capiz and portions of Antique, Iloilo, and northern Cebu on Tuesday evening; and in Marinduque, southern portion of Quezon, portions of Mindoro Provinces on Wednesday morning.

TCWS No. 1 meanwhile is in effect over:

• Bulacan
• Bataan
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• Cavite
• The rest of Quezon
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Camarines Sur
• Camarines Norte
• Catanduanes
• Northern Palawan (Linapacan, El Nido, Taytay, Araceli, Dumaran, San Vicente, Roxas)
• Calamian Islands
• Cuyo Islands
• The rest of northern Cebu (Carmen, Asturias, Tuburan, Catmon, Sogod)
• Central Cebu (Aloguinsan, Carcar City, Pinamungahan, San Fernando, Naga City, Toledo City, Minglanilla, Balamban, Talisay City, Cebu City, Cordova, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, Danao City)
• Northeastern Bohol (Inabanga, Danao, Dagohoy, Pilar, Guindulman, Anda, Candijay, Alicia, Buenavista, Jetafe, Talibon, Trinidad, Bien Unido, San Miguel, Ubay, Mabini, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia)
• The rest of Antique
• The rest of Iloilo
• Guimaras
• Northern Negros Occidental (Bacolod City, Bago City, Calatrava, La Carlota City, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Binalbagan, Hinigaran, Isabela, Murcia, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, Salvador Benedicto, San Carlos City, San Enrique, Silay City, Talisay City, Valladolid)
• Northern Negros Orienta (Canlaon City, Guihulngan City, Jimalalud, La Libertad, Vallehermoso)
• Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands

PAGASA said the eye of Ursula was last located as of 1 p.m. at 95 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 150 kph.

Ursula continues to move westward at 20 kph.

By Wednesday morning, Christmas Day, the typhoon will be 65 kilometers southwest of Romblon.

On Thursday morning, it will move to 315 kilometers west northwest of Coron, Palawan.

By Friday morning, Ursula will be 490 kilometers west of Subic, Zambales.

The typhoon is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday morning.

Rainfall outlook

Between Tuesday and Wednesday evening, PAGASA said occasional to frequent heavy rains will prevail over Dinagat Islands, Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, Eastern Visayas, Sorsogon, Masbate, northern and central Cebu, northern Negros Provinces, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras and Romblon, while light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains will persist over the rest of Bicol Region, Quezon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, and the rest of Visayas and Surigao del Norte.

Between Wednesday noon until late evening, occasional to frequent heavy rains were forecast over Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Romblon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Batangas, and Calamian Islands, and light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains over Cuyo Islands, Negros Provinces, Iloilo, Guimaras, Aurora, and the rest of CALABARZON.

PAGASA advised residents of these areas to prepare for possible flooding and rain-induced landslides.

The state weather bureau also warned against sea travel due to rough sea conditions starting Tuesday afternoon or evening.

Flights, ferry trips canceled

Several flights were canceled on Tuesday due to Ursula.

Operations of the Pasig River Ferry were also suspended on Tuesday by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority due to the weather disturbance. —RSJ/KG, GMA News