Ambo now a typhoon, Signal No. 2 hoisted over Samar

Severe Tropical Storm Ambo, with international name Vongfong, has "rapidly intensified" into a typhoon, PAGASA announced Wednesday evening.

In its Severe Weather Bulletin, the weather agency said that Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 has been raised over the following areas:

• Northern Samar
OTHER STORIES
Signal No.1 raised over Luzon, Visayas as Ambo strengthens into severe storm
Tropical Storm Ambo may intensify into typhoon by Friday—PAGASA
Signal No. 1 up in 3 Eastern Visayas areas as Ambo moves toward Samar Island
• The northern portion of Eastern Samar (Arteche, Can-avid, Dolores, Jipapad, Maslog, Oras, San Policarpio, Taft)
• The northern portion of Samar (Calbayog City, Gandara, Matuguinao, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Sta. Margarita)

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

• The rest of Eastern Samar
• The rest of Samar
• Biliran
• Masbate
• Sorsogon
• Albay
• Catanduanes
• Camarines Sur

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• Camarines Norte

TCWS no. 1 may be raised over Quezon and Marinduque, according to PAGASA.

At 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Ambo was estimated at 325 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar with maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 160 kph.

According to GMA's resident meteorologist Nathaniel Cruz, Ambo may landfall in Northern Samar or the Bicol Region on Thursday night or Friday morning.

Ambo is forecast to continuously intensify within 24 hours as it moves west.

According to PAGASA, the typhoon may pass close to Northern Samar on Thursday evening before making landfall over the Albay-Sorsogon area on Friday morning.

Heavy rainfall outlook

On Thursday, Ambo may bring moderate to heavy with, at times, intense rains over Eastern Visayas, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate.

On Friday, it may bring heavy to intense with, at times, torrential rains over Bicol Region, and Northern Samar as well as moderate to heavy rains over CALABARZON, Aurora, Marinduque, Romblon, and the Mindoro Provinces.

The weather agency advised residents to take precautionary measures and coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices.

According to PAGASA, flooding and rain-induced landslides may occur in susceptibles areas during heavy or prolonged rainfall.

The next severe weather bulletin will be issued at 5 a.m. on Thursday. —LDF, GMA News