Auring to bring moderate to heavy rains over eastern Mindanao; 4 areas under Signal No. 1

Tropical Storm Auring has remained stationary over the Philippine Sea east of Mindanao early Friday morning, according to the Severe Weather Bulleting posted by PAGASA.

From Friday until early Saturday morning, Caraga, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, and Davao del Norte will have light to moderate with at times heavy rainshowers.

From early morning on Saturday through Sunday early morning, moderate to heavy with at times intense rains is expected over Caraga Region, Davao Oriental, and Davao de Oro. Moderate to heavy rains over Eastern Visayas, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Bukidnon, and Davao del Norte.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains over the rest of Visayas, the rest of Northern Mindanao, Albay, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, Masbate, Lanao del Sur, Cotabato, and Davao City.

Under these conditions, scattered to widespread flooding including flashfloods and rain-induced landslides are likely during heavy rains or prolonged rainfall especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 has been hoisted over the following areas:

• Davao Oriental
• the eastern portion of Davao de Oro (Pantukan, Maragusan, New Bataan, Compostela, Monkayo)
• the southeastern portion of Agusan del Sur (San Francisco, Rosario, Bunawan, Trento, Santa Josefa)
• the southern portion of Surigao del Sur (Bayabas, Cagwait, Marihatag, San Agustin, Lianga, Barobo, Tagbina, Hinatuan, Bislig City, Lingig)

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Adjacent or nearby areas may also experience flooding in the absence of such rainfall occurrence due to surface runoff or swelling of river channels.

The surge of the northeast Monsoon is already bringing strong breeze to near-gale conditions with occasionally higher gusts over Northern Luzon and the eastern sections of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao especially in coastal and mountainous areas.

In the next 24 hours, rough to high seas (3.0 to 6.5 m) will be experienced over the eastern seaboard of Mindanao. 

Rough to very rough seas are also expected over the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Central Luzon (3.0 to 5.5 m), Southern Luzon (4.0 to 5.5 m), and Visayas (3.5 to 6.0 m).

Moderate to rough seas (1.2 to 3.0 m) will be experienced over the rest of the seaboards of the country.

Sea travel is risky for all types of sea vessels over these waters.

As of 4 a.m. on Friday, the center of Tropical Storm Auring was estimated at 595 kilometers east southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur with maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 90 kph while moving almost stationary.

Tropical Storm Auring will move generally westward or west-southwestward slowly over the next 24 hours before turning northwestward tomorrow morning while accelerating and is forecast to make landfall over the eastern coast of Caraga Region on Sunday, the 21st of February.

On the forecast track, the storm will likely follow a generally northwestward path as it traverses Caraga Region, Visayas, and MIMAROPA on Sunday and Monday.

Auring is forecast to further intensity into a Severe Tropical Storm in the next 48 hours but will likely weaken while crossing the archipelago due to significant terrain interaction and dry air intrusion from the northeast monsoon. -- BAP, GMA News