Signal No. 2 up over NCR, 23 other areas as Paeng slightly stronger

Tropical Storm Paeng has slightly intensified moving west northwestward towards the Northern Samar, Sorsogon and Albay areas, according to weather bureau PAGASA.

Based on its 5 p.m. bulletin, Paeng may make landfall or pass close to Northern Samar Friday night.

Afterwards, the tropical cyclone will traverse the Bicol Region late Friday through Saturday morning.

Between Saturday afternoon and evening, the center of Paeng may make another landfall over the east coast of Quezon, including Polillo Islands. Considering the southward shift in the forecast track, the landfall scenario may change in the succeeding bulletins, PAGASA said.

The center of Paeng was estimated at at 180 km East of Catarman, Northern Samar (12.4 °N, 126.3 °E ). It had maximum sustained winds of 85 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 105 km/h.

The following areas were placed under Signal No. 2:

LUZON

• Catanduanes
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Ticao Island and Burias Islands
• Camarines Sur
• Camarines Norte
• Marinduque
• Quezon including Pollilo Islands
• the southern portion of Aurora (San Luis, Baler, Dingalan)
• the southeastern portion of Nueva Ecija (Gabaldon, General Tinio, City of Gapan, Cabiao, San Isidro, Pe)
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Cavite
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• Bulacan
• The eastern portion of Pampanga (Candaba, San Luis, San Simon, Apalit)
• the northern and central portions of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Baco, City of Calapan, Naujan, Victoria, Pola, Socorro, Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas)
• Romblon

VISAYAS

• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Biliran
• The northern portion of Leyte (San Isidro, Calubian, Tabango, Leyte, Capoocan, Carigara, Barugo, San Miguel, Babatngon, Tacloban City, Alangalang, Santa Fe, Palo, Tanauan, Dagami, Pastrana, Jaro, Kananga, Villaba, Tunga, Tabontabon, Tolosa)

The following areas were placed under Signal No. 1:

LUZON

• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• the central and southern portions of Isabela (San Agustin, Jones, City of Santiago, Cordon, Echague, Dinapigue, San Mariano, San Guillermo, Angadanan, City of Cauayan, Benito Soliven, Ramon, San Isidro, Alicia, San Mateo, Cabatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Naguilian, Palanan, Aurora, Burgos, San Manuel, Gamu, Ilagan City, Divilacan, Roxas, Quirino, Mallig)
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• Mountain Province
• the southern portion of Ilocos Sur (Sugpon, Cervantes, Alilem, Suyo, Tagudin, Santa Cruz, Sigay, Quirino, Gregorio del Pilar, Salcedo, Santa Lucia)
• La Union
• Bataan
• Tarlac
• Zambales
• Pangasinan
• the rest of Aurora
• the rest of Pampanga
• Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands
• the rest of Oriental Mindoro
• Calamian Islands
• Cuyo Islands
• the rest of Nueva Ecija

VISAYAS

• Southern Leyte
• Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands
• Bohol
• Negros Occidental
• Negros Oriental
• Guimaras
• Aklan
• Antique
• Capiz
• Iloilo
• Siquijor
• the rest of Leyte

MINDANAO

• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands
• the northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes, City of Tandag, Bayabas, Cagwait, San Miguel, Tago, Marihatag)
• Agusan del Norte
• the northeastern portion of Agusan del Sur (Sibagat)
• Camiguin
• the eastern portion of Misamis Oriental (Gingoog City, Magsaysay, Medina, Talisayan, Balingoan, Kinoguitan)

PAGASA said heavy to intense with at times torrential rains will experience over Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas on Saturday afternoon until Sunday early morning.

Quezon, MIMAROPA, Caraga, Zamboanga Peninsula, BARMM, Northern Mindanao, and the rest of Visayas will have moderate to heavy with at times intense rains.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains will prevail over Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Cagayan Valley, Aurora, the rest of Calabarzon, and the rest of Mindanao.

The weather bureau said the surge of the Northeast Monsoon will also bring strong winds with gusts reaching gale-force strength over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, the northern and eastern portions of mainland Cagayan, and the northern portion of Apayao.

A marine gale warning is in effect over the seaboards of Northern Luzon, the eastern and southern seaboards of Southern Luzon, and the eastern seaboards of Central Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao under the influence of the surge of the Northeast Monsoon and Paeng.

PAGASA said the tropical storm is forecast to further intensify while moving over the waters of the Philippine Sea and may reach severe tropical storm category within 12 hours.—LDF, GMA News