Signal No. 3 up over 3 areas as Ambo moves closer to N. Samar

Three areas were placed under Signal No. 3 on Thursday morning as Typhoon Ambo further intensified as it moved closer to Northern Samar.

Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) No. 3 is hoisted over:

• Northern Samar
• northern portion of Eastern Samar (Jipapad, Arteche, Maslog, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpio, Can-avid, Taft)
• northern portion of Samar (Calbayog City, Sta. Margarita, Gandara, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Matuguinao, San Jose de Buan)

TCWS No. 2, meanwhile, was raised over the following areas:

• Catanduanes,
• the eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Tinambac, Goa, Lagonoy, San Jose, Garchitorena, Presentacion, Caramoan, Calabanga, Bombon, Magarao, Canaman, Camaligan, Gainza, Pamplona, Naga City, Milaor, San Fernando, Minalabac, Pili, Ocampo, Tigaon, Bula, Baao, Sagñay, Iriga City, Buhi, Nabua, Balatan, Bato),
• Albay,
• Sorsogon,
• and the northern portion of Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands (San Pascual, Claveria, Monreal, San Jacinto, San Fernando, Batuan, Aroroy, Baleno, Masbate City, Mobo, Uson, Dimasalang, Palanas, Cataingan, Pio V. Corpuz)
• The central portion of Samar (Tarangan, Catbalogan City, Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas, San Sebastian, Hinabangan, Tagapul-an, Almagro, Sto. Niño)
• and the central portion of Eastern Samar (Sulat, San Julian, Borongan City, Maydolong)

TCWS No. 1 is raised over the following areas:

• Cavite
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Rizal
• Quezon
• Marinduque
• the eastern portion of Romblon (Banton, Corcuera, Romblon, Magdiwang, Cajidiocan, San Fernando)
• Visayas
• Biliran
• the rest of Samar
• the rest of Eastern Samar
• the northern portion of Leyte (Calubian, San Isidro, Tabango, Villaba, Leyte, Kananga, Capoocan, Carigara, Barugo, San Miguel, Babatngon, Tunga, Jaro, Alangalang, Sta. Fe, Tacloban City, Palo, Pastrana, Dagami, Tabontabon, Tanauan, Tolosa)

In its 5 a.m. Severe Weather Bulletin, PAGASA said heavy to intense with at times torrential rains expected over Samar provinces on Thursday. Meanwhile, moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Sorsogon, Albay, Catanduanes, Masbate, and the rest of Eastern Visayas.

As of 4 a.m., the eye of Typhoon "Ambo was located at 230 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar with maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 185 km/h.

Ambo is moving westward at 15 km/h.

PAGASA said in the next 48 hours, storm surge of 1.0 to 3.0 meters may be experienced over the coastal areas of Northern Samar, Eastern Samar (east coast), Samar (west coast), Sorsogon, Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Quezon, and Aurora.

Along with large swells, this storm surge may cause potentially life-threatening coastal inundation.

Sea travel is risky for all types of seacrafts over the seaboards of areas under TCWS.

Landfall information

The typhoon is forecast to make landfall over the northeastern portion of Northern Samar on Thursday afternoon or early evening before heading towards Sorsogon later tonight.

Violent winds and heavy to torrential rains of the eyewall region may begin affecting Northern Samar and the northern portions of Samar and Eastern Samar within 12 hours.

Further intensification remains likely before the typhoon makes landfall.

Typhoon Ambo is expected to be outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Tuesday as the weather bureau forecast the weather system to be 1,815 kilometers northeast of Extreme Northern Luzon.

The public and the disaster risk reduction and management council concerned are advised to take appropriate actions and watch for the next Severe Weather Bulletin to be issued at 8 a.m. on Thursday. -- BAP/KBK, GMA News