Jolina shifts direction, heads for Samar Island landfall in next several hours

Tropical Cyclone Jolina intensified into a severe tropical storm and changed direction, heading for an Eastern or Northern Samar landfall sometime between late Monday night and early Tuesday morning.

According to PAGASA's Monday evening bulletin, Jolina was 30 kilometers east-northeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar with 95 kilometer per hour winds that can gust up to 115 kph.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal 2 was raised over:

• Eastern Samar,
• the eastern portion of Northern Samar (Pambujan, Las Navas, Catubig, Laoang, Palapag, Mapanas, Gamay, Lapinig, San Roque, Mondragon, Silvino Lobos, Catarman, Lope de Vega), and
• the northeastern portion of Samar (Matuguinao, San Jose de Buan, Paranas, Hinabangan, Motiong).

Strong to gale-force winds could be expected over these areas.

Meanwhile, Signal 1 was raised over:

• Sorsogon,
• Albay,
• Ticao Island,
• Catanduanes,
• Camarines Sur,
• the southeastern portion of Camarines Norte (San Vicente, Talisay, Daet, San Lorenzo Ruiz, Basud, Mercedes),
• Biliran,
• Leyte,
• Southern Leyte,
• the rest Samar,
• the rest of Northern Samar,
• the Dinagat Islands,
• the Siargao Islands, and
• the Bucas Grande Islands.

Strong winds (strong breeze to near gale conditions) with occasional gusts could be expected over areas under Signal 1.

Jolina was also expected to bring moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain, over Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, and Sorsogon.

Moderate to heavy rain could meanwhile be expected over the rest of the Visayas and Bicol Region.

Isolated to scattered flash flooding and rain-induced landslides were a danger, especially in areas that were highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards.

Rough to very rough seas (2.6 to 4.5 m) could be expected over the seaboards under Signal 2. This would make sea travel risky for small seacraft. Mariners without the proper experience should immediately seek safe harbor.

Moderate to rough seas (1.2 to 2.8 m) would meanwhile be experienced over the seaboards of areas under Signal 1, as well as in the eastern seaboards of Mindanao. Mariners of small seacraft were advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions.

According to PAGASA's projections, Jolina would continue to move west-northwest or northwest in the next 12 hours.

After making its first landfall over Eastern or Northern Samar Monday night or early Tuesday morning, a second landfall over Catanduanes was expected by Tuesday afternoon.

Jolina would then move northwestward parallel to the east coast of Southern Luzon. It will then make its third landfall over the eastern section of Central Luzon by Thursday morning.

It will cut across Luzon and re-emerge over the West Philippine Sea by Thursday evening.

However, PAGASA urged the public to continue monitoring for possible changes in the track forecast in succeeding bulletins.

Additionally, Jolina was forecast to continue slightly intensifying until Thursday morning.

But due to the rugged terrain, Jolina would weaken slightly as it traverses Central Luzon.

It would then intensify into a typhoon by Saturday while moving over the West Philippine Sea. — DVM, GMA News