Ulysses now in West Philippine Sea, but Signal No. 3 still up over 5 areas

Typhoon Ulysses is now located over the West Philippine Sea after leaving heavy flooding over parts of Luzon, even as Signal No. 3 remains up over five areas.

In its 11 a.m. advisory on Thursday, PAGASA still warned of heavy to intense with at times torrential rains that can be expected over Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, and Tarlac until Thursday afternoon.

The Cordillera Administrative Region, mainland Cagayan Valley, and Babuyan Islands, Calabarzon, Metro Manila, Mindoro Provinces, Marinduque, and the rest of Central Luzon, on the other hand, may experience moderate to heavy with at times intense rains.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains are likewise expected over Visayas and rest of Luzon.

Further, PAGASA said that between Thursday afternoon and night, moderate to heavy rains may be experienced in Cordillera Administrative Region, the eastern portions of Cagayan and Isabela, Zambales, Bataan, Aurora, Metro Manila, Cavite, the western portion of Batangas, and the northern portion of Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island.

In the weather bureau's 11 a.m. bulletin, the following areas are under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 and will likely experience destructive typhoon-force winds:

• The western portion of Pangasinan (Bayambang, Bautista, Alcala, Santo Tomas, Malasiqui, Santa Barbara, Mangaldan, Dagupan City, Basista, San Carlos City, Calasiao, Binmaley, Urbiztondo, Mangatarem, Aguilar, Bugallon, Lingayen, Labrador, Infanta, Mabini, Sual, Dasol, Burgos, Alaminos City, Agno, Bani, Bolinao, Anda)
• Zambales,
• Bataan,
• Tarlac,
• Pampanga

Meanwhile, the following were placed under TCWS No. 2:

• Central and southern portions of Isabela (Mallig, Quirino, Ilagan, Roxas, Burgos, Gamu, Palanan, San Mariano, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Reina Mercedes, Luna, San Manuel, Aurora, Cabatuan, Cauayan City, San Mateo, Alicia, Angadanan, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, San Isidro, Ramon, Santiago City, Cordon),
• Quirino,
• Nueva Vizcaya,
• Mountain Province,
• Ifugao,
• Benguet,
• Southern portion of Ilocos Sur (Cervantes, Quirino, San Emilio, Lidlidda, Santiago, Banayoyo, Candon City, Galimuyod, Gregorio Del Pilar, Salcedo, Santa Lucia, Santa Cruz, Sigay, Suyo, Tagudin, Alilem, Sugpon),
• La Union,
• the rest of Pangasinan,
• Aurora,
• Nueva Ecija,
• Bulacan,
• Metro Manila,
• Cavite,
• Rizal,
• Laguna,
• Batangas,
• Northern and western portions of Quezon (Mauban, Pagbilao, Tayabas City, Lucena City, Sariaya, Candelaria, San Antonio, Tiaong, Dolores, Lucban, Sampaloc, Real, Infanta, General Nakar) including Polillo Islands,
• Northwestern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera, San Teodoro),
• Northwestern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Paluan, Abra de Ilog) including Lubang Island

TCWS No. 1 is raised over the following:

• The rest of Isabela,
• Kalinga,
• Abra,
• the rest of Ilocos Sur,
• the rest of northern portion Oriental Mindoro (Baco, Calapan City, Naujan, Victoria, Pola),
• the rest of northern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Mamburao, Santa Cruz), and
• the central portion of Quezon (Gumaca, Macalelon, Pitogo, Unisan, Agdangan, Plaridel, Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Quezon, Alabat, Perez)

Storm surge

There is a high risk of storm surge of up to three meters high in the coastal areas of Aurora, northern Quezon including Polillo Islands, Cavite, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, and Zambales.

The coastal areas of Isabela, La Union, Pangasinan, Batangas, the rest of Quezon, Marinduque, and the northern portion of Mindoro Provinces including Lubang Island were likewise warned of the possibility of a storm surge of up to two meters.

PAGASA added that there is a moderate risk of a storm surge over the coastal areas surrounding Laguna de Bay.

Coastal hazards

Rough to very high seas are expected in areas under TCWS, and in the northern seaboard of Northern Samar due to the combined effects of Ulysses and the surge of the Northeast Monsoon, the weather bureau warned.

The remaining seaboards of Northern Luzon may have rough to high seas.

Over the western seaboard of Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands, and the seaboards of Romblon and Bicol Region not under the warning signals, rough to very rough seas may also be experienced.

Sea travel is risky for all types of vessels over these waters, according to PAGASA.

Small seacraft should also take precaution in venturing into the eastern seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao, the seaboards of Cuyo Islands, and the western seaboard of Panay Island where moderate to rough seas are expected.

Location and strength of Ulysses

Ulysses' eye was spotted 85 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales as of 10 a.m. on Thursday, PAGASA said.

It is moving westward at 25 kilometers per hour (km/h) while maintaining its strength of 130 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 200 km/h.

PAGASA said that as Ulysses crosses the West Philippine Sea, away from the landmass, a slight intensification is expected.

It is likely to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Friday morning.

The typhoon slightly slowed down but maintained its strength as it reached the West Philippine Sea, east of Zambales, PAGASA said before noon on Thursday. —JST/KG, GMA News