Signal No. 2 up over 6 areas as Auring accelerates slightly

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 is hoisted over six areas as Tropical Storm Auring accelerates slightly while moving northwestward towards the eastern Visayas-Caraga area, PAGASA said Sunday afternoon.

In its 5 p.m. severe weather bulletin, the weather agency said the center of Auring was located 355 kilometers east of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte at 4 p.m. with maximum sustained winds of 65 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It is moving northwestward at 20 kph.

TCWS No. 2 is up over the following:

Visayas

• the central and southern portions of Eastern Samar (Taft, Sulat, San Julian, Borongan City, Maydolong, Balangkayan, Llorente, Hernani, General Macarthur, Quinapondan, Balangiga, Lawaan, Giporlos, Salcedo, Mercedes, Guiuan)
• the central and southern portions of Samar (Hinabangan, Calbiga, Pinabacdao, Villareal, Basey, Marabut, Santa Rita)
• the eastern portion of Leyte (Babatngon, Tacloban City, San Miguel, Alangalang, Santa Fe, Palo, Tanauan, Pastrana, Dagami, Tabontabon, Tolosa, Julita, Burauen, Dulag, La Paz, Mayorga, Macarthur, Javier, Abuyog, Mahaplag)
• the eastern portion of Southern Leyte (Silago, Sogod, Hinunangan, Libagon, Saint Bernard, Hinundayan, Anahawan, San Juan, Liloan, San Francisco, San Ricardo, Pintuyan)

Mindanao

• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands

Meanwhile, the following areas are under TCWS No. 1:

Luzon

• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Albay
• Catanduanes
• the eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Presentacion, Sagnay, Buhi, Iriga City, Nabua, Bato, Balatan)
• the eastern portion of Romblon (Magdiwang, San Fernando, Cajidiocan)

Visayas

• Northern Samar
• the rest of Eastern Samar
• the rest of Samar
• Biliran
• the rest of Leyte
• the rest of Southern Leyte
• Cebu
• Bohol
• Siquijor
• Negros Oriental
• the 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 northern and central portions of Iloilo (Carles, Balasan, Estancia, Batad, San Dionisio, Sara, Concepcion, Lemery, Ajuy, San Rafael, Passi City, Bingawan, Calinog, Lambunao, Duenas, San Enrique, Dingle, Anilao, Banate, Janiuay, Badiangan, Pototan, Barotac Nuevo, Dumangas, Mina, Maasin, Alimodian, Leon, Tigbauan, Oton, Iloilo City, Pavia, San Miguel, Cabatuan, Santa Barbara, New Lucena, Zarraga, Leganes, Barotac Viejo)
• Capiz
• Guimaras
• the eastern portion of Aklan (Tangalan, Malinao, Makato, Lezo, Numancia, Kalibo, New Washington, Batan, Altavas, Balete, Banga, Madalag, Libacao)

Mindanao

• Surigao del Sur
• Agusan del Norte
• Agusan del Sur
• Davao Oriental
• Davao de Oro
• Davao del Norte
• Camiguin
• Misamis Oriental
• Bukidnon
• Hazards

From Sunday to Monday morning, PAGASA said moderate to heavy rains will prevail over Caraga, Eastern Visayas, Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, Camiguin, Catanduanes, Albay and Sorsogon, while light to moderate with, at times, heavy rains will be experienced over Zamboanga Peninsula, MIMAROPA, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Quezon, and the rest of Bicol Region, Visayas and Northern Mindanao.

From Monday morning to Tuesday morning, moderate to heavy rains will be experienced over Bicol Region, Marinduque, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar and Samar, while light to moderate with, at times, heavy rains will prevail over the rest of Visayas, Bicol Region, MIMAROPA, Quezon, Aurora, Isabela and Cagayan.

“Under these conditions, scattered flooding (including flash floods) and rain-induced landslides are likely during heavy or prolonged rainfall especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps,” PAGASA said.

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

Meanwhile, in the next 24 hours, PAGASA said the combined effects of the surge of the Northeast Monsoon and Auring will bring gale-force winds in areas under TCWS No. 2, while strong breeze to near-gale conditions with occasionally higher gusts will be felt over areas under TCWS No. 1 as well as CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Aurora and the rest of Visayas and Bicol Region.

Further, rough to very rough sees will be experienced over the seaboards of areas under TCWS (2.6 to 4.5 meters) and the eastern seaboard of Luzon not under TCWS (2.6 to 4.5 m) in the next 24 hours.

Rough seas (2.5 to 4.0 m) will also prevail over 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.

“Sea travel is risky for all types of sea vessels over these waters,” PAGASA warned.

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

“Mariners of small seacraft are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions,” PAGASA said.

PAGASA said Auring is forecasted to continue moving generally west-northwestward to northwestward in the next 48 hours.

Auring might initially make landfall over the Dinaat Islands-Eastern Samar (southern portion including Homonhon Island)-Leyte area on Monday morning, PAGASA said.

Auring is forecasted to maintain its strength in the next 12 hours, however, the likelihood of weakening into tropical depression before it makes landfall is not yet ruled out.

After landfall, PAGASA said Auring might “weaken considerably due to significant terrain interaction and the increasing wind shear, leading to deterioration into a remnant low within 48 hours, possibly sooner.” — BM, GMA News