Paeng expected to reach typhoon category, wind signals up starting Thursday

Tropical Depression Paeng is expected to become a typhoon this weekend, with wind signals issued over some areas beginning Thursday, according to weather bureau PAGASA.

In a bulletin issued at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, PAGASA said Paeng would intensify into a tropical storm on Thursday and “further intensification is likely while moving over the Philippine Sea and may reach typhoon category on Saturday.”

PAGASA said it has not ruled out the possibility of Paeng making landfall in Northern Luzon.

According to PAGASA, a Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal may be raised for some areas in Eastern Visayas and the Bicol Region on Thursday morning at the earliest.

“Per latest track and intensity forecast, the most likely highest wind signal that will be hoisted is Wind Signal No. 4,” it said.

At 10 a.m., Paeng was located 965 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas, packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 55 km/h, moving west northwestward slowly.

From Friday morning through Saturday morning, heavy to intense with at times torrential rains may be experienced over Bicol Region.

Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are expected over Eastern Visayas, Mindoro provinces, Marinduque, Romblon, Quezon, Aurora, Isabela, and Cagayan. 

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains are possible over Rizal, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Cordillera Administrative Region, and the rest of Visayas and Cagayan Valley.

From Saturday morning through Sunday, heavy to intense with at times torrential rains are expected over Cagayan, Isabela, Apayao, and the northern portion of Aurora. 

Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains may be experienced over Ilocos Norte, and the rest of Aurora, Cagayan Valley, and Cordillera Administrative Region.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains are also possible over Western Visayas and the rest of Luzon.

PAGASA warned of possible flooding and rain-induced landslides, especially in areas prone to these hazards and those with significant antecedent rainfall.

Due to the shear line and trough of Paeng, heavy rains are expected over Quezon, the Bicol Region, Visayas, and the northern and western portions of Mindanao.

In the next 24 hours, the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan will bring strong to gale-force winds over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and the northern portions of mainland Cagayan, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte.

A marine gale warning is in effect over the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon due to the surge of Amihan.

The surge of Amihan and Paeng may also bring moderate to rough seas (1.2 to 3.0 meters) over the eastern seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao in the next 24 hours.

“These conditions may be risky for those using small seacrafts. Mariners are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea and, if possible, avoid navigating in these conditions,” PAGASA said.

Paeng is forecast to move generally westward until Thursday afternoon and then turn west northwestward through Saturday morning, according to PAGASA.

It will begin to move northwestward on Saturday afternoon or evening and may pass near Northern Luzon on Sunday or Monday, it added. — VBL, GMA News