Signal No. 1 remains hoisted over 6 Luzon areas due to Maymay

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 is still in effect on Wednesday over six areas in Luzon due to Tropical Depression Maymay, PAGASA said in its bulletin.

These areas are:

• Isabela;
• Quirino;
• Nueva Vizcaya;
• Aurora;
• Nueva Ecija; and
• the extreme northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta) including Pollilo Islands.

PAGASA said residents in these areas will experience strong winds but with minimal to minor threat to life and property.

As of 4 a.m., Maymay continues to slowly move in the southwest direction over the Philippine Sea.

The center of Maymay was estimated to be located at 305 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 55 km/h, and central pressure of 1002 hPa.

PAGASA said the center of Maymay is forecast to continue its slow westward movement in the next 12 hours before it would slightly accelerate and move westward towards the eastern coast of Central Luzon.

Maymay is forecast to weaken into a low pressure area as it approaches the landmass.

Heavy rains

Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are to be expected on Wednesday over Cagayan and Isabela while light to moderate with at times heavy rains will be experienced in Aurora.

"Under these conditions, scattered to widespread flooding (including flash floods) and rain-induced landslides are expected especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazard as identified in hazard maps, and in localities with significant antecedent rainfall," the weather bureau reported.

Isabela, Aurora and Quirino will have rains with gusty winds brought about by Maymay, with possible flash floods or landslides due to moderate to heavy with at times intense rains. There will be minimal to minor threat to lives and properties due to to strong winds

Meanwhile, Batanes, Cagayan, Apayao, Kalinga and Ilocos Norte will have cloudy skies with scattered to widespread rain showers and thunderstorms due to the shearline with possible flash floods or landslides due to moderate to heavy with at times intense rains.

The rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, the rest of Cagayan Valley and the rest of Ilocos Region will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to Maymay and the shearline with possible flash floods or landslides due to moderate to heavy rains.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country on the other hand will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms with possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms.

"In the next 24 hours, occasional gusts reaching strong to gale-force strength associated with the enhanced northeasterly surface windflow and its convergence with the tropical depression circulation may also be experienced (especially in the coastal and mountainous areas) over Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Ilocos Region," the weather bureau reported.

Tropical cyclone outside PAR

PAGASA is also monitoring an active tropical cyclone outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

As of 3 a.m. Wednesday, it is located at 1,920 kilometers east of Southern Luzon packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour, gustiness of up to 55 km/h and slowly moving in the northeast direction.

Hazards affecting coastal areas

"Under the influence of Maymay and the surge of northeasterly surface windflow, a marine gale warning remains in effect over the seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon," PAGASA reported.

Mariners are advised to take precautions as a surge of northeasterly surface windflow may also bring moderate to rough seas over the western seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon.

PAGASA will issue the next bulletin at 11 a.m.

Classes, flights, dam

Classes have been canceled in some areas due to the bad weather from Maymay.

A few flights were also canceled due to the inclement weather.

The Magat Dam in Northern Luzon meanwhile will open one of its gates in anticipation of expected heavy inflow due to Maymay, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) announced late Tuesday.

In an advisory, the NIA said one of the dam's gates will be opened on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. —BAP/KG, GMA News