Auring to bring heavy rains; Signal 2 up over Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 was raised on Sunday morning over three areas as Tropical Storm Auring (international name: Dujuan) continued to move west northwest, bringing rains, PAGASA said in its early morning forecast.

The areas under TCWS No. 2 are: 

• The southern portion of Eastern Samar (San Julian, Borongan City, Maydolong, Balangkayan, Balangiga, Lawaan, Llorente, Hernani, General Macarthur, Quinapondan, Giporlos, Salcedo, Mercedes, Guiuan)
• Dinagat Islands
• northern portion of Surigao del Norte  (Surigao City, Sison, Tagana-An, Placer, San Francisco) including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands

These areas will experience 61-120 km/h winds prevailing or expected in 24 hours.

TCWS No. 1 meanwhile was hoisted over the following areas:

• Sorsogon
• mainland Masbate
• Ticao Island
• Northern Samar
• the rest of Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• Cebu
• Bohol
• Siquijor
• Negros Oriental
• northern and central portions of Negros Occidental (Kabankalan City, Himamaylan City, Binalbagan, Isabela, Moises Padilla, Hinigaran, La Castellana, Pontevedra, San Enrique, La Carlota City, Pulupandan, Valladolid, Bago City, Murcia, Bacolod City, Talisay City, Silay City, Enrique B. Magalona, Victorias City, Manapla, Cadiz City, Sagay City, Escalante City, Toboso, Calatrava, San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto)
• the eastern portion of Iloilo (Barotac Viejo, Lemery, San Rafael, Sara, Ajuy, Concepcion, San Dionisio, Batad, Estancia, Balasan, Carles), and the eastern portion of Capiz (Dumarao, Cuartero, Ma-Ayon, Pontevedra, Panay, President Roxas, Pilar)
• the rest of Surigao del Norte
• Surigao del Sur
• Agusan del Norte
• Agusan del Sur
• Davao Oriental
• Davao de Oro
• Davao del Norte
• Davao City
• Camiguin
• Misamis Oriental
• Bukidnon

Areas under TCWS No. 1 will have 30-60 km/h winds prevailing or expected in 36 hours.

Rainfall

Moderate to heavy rains are expected on Sunday over Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur.

The Bicol Region, MIMAROPA, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, Quezon, and the rest of Visayas and Caraga meanwhile will have light to moderate with at times heavy rains on Sunday.

On Monday, the Bicol Region, MIMAROPA, Western Visayas, Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, Quezon, Aurora, Isabela, and Cagayan will have light to moderate with at times heavy rains.

PAGASA warned the public about possible isolated to scattered flooding, including flash floods, and rain-induced landslides during times of heavy or prolonged rainfall especially in areas identified to be prone or susceptible to these hazards.

Areas adjacent to these or are nearby may also have flooding even without heavy rainfall due to surface runoff or swelling of river channels.

Winds

The Northeast Monsoon (Amihan) and Auring will bring gale-force winds in the next 24 hours in areas where TCWS No. 2 was raised.

Meanwhile, in areas under TCWS No. 1 and in CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Aurora, and the rest of Visayas and Bicol Region, strong breeze to near gale conditions with occasionally higher gusts may be experienced.

Coastal waters

Seas will be rough to very rough in the next 24 hours over the seaboards of areas under TCWS (with waves up to 5 meters) and the eastern seaboard of Luzon not under TCWS (with wave heights up to 4.5 meters).

The southern seaboard of Luzon (including the eastern seaboard of Palawan), the remaining seaboards of Visayas, and the northern, eastern, and western seaboards of Mindanao that are not under any TCWS will also have rough seas, with waves reaching 4 meters.

"Sea travel is risky for all types of sea vessels over these waters," PAGASA said.

Track

Auring is expected to move generally west northwest to northwest in the next 48 hours, but may have short-term erratic movement before landfall.

The storm is forecast to make initial landfall over the Dinagat Islands-Eastern Samar (southern portion including Homonhon Island)-Leyte area between Sunday night or early Monday morning.

"There is an increasing likelihood that 'AURING' will weaken into a tropical depression before it makes landfall due to persistent high vertical wind shear associated with the surge of the Northeast Monsoon," PAGASA said.

However, PAGASA said there is still a possibility that Auring will maintain its strength until it makes landfall.

After landfall, Auring is expected to weaken considerably.

Location

At 4 a.m., the eye or center of Auring was located at 395 km east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.

It had maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 80 km/h.

Auring is moving west northwest at 15 km/h.

PAGASA advised the public and disaster risk reduction and management councils concerned to take the necessary precautions and await the next severe weather bulletin at 8 a.m.

Canceled flights

Some flights scheduled on Sunday, Feb. 21, were canceled due to the bad weather expected from Auring. —KG, GMA News