Mirasol now over Kalinga, 17 areas under Signal No. 1

Tropical Depression Mirasol continued to traverse Northern Luzon as 17 areas were placed under Signal No. 1, PAGASA said on Wednesday afternoon.

As of 2 p.m., the following areas were under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1:

• Batanes
• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• the northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Baler, Maria Aurora) 
• Apayao
• Abra
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province 
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• the northeastern portion of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Natividad, San Manuel, Sison, San Quintin, Tayug)
• the northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Pantabangan)

At 1 p.m., Mirasol was located in the vicinity of Tanudan, Kalinga, carrying maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h near the center with gustiness of up to 90 km/h. It was moving northwestward at 15 km/h.

"This tropical depression will re-emerge over the Luzon Strait this afternoon or evening and will continue moving northwestward until it exits the Philippine Area of Responsibility tomorrow morning or afternoon," PAGASA said.

"Once it is over the Luzon Strait, it is forecast to intensify and may reach tropical storm category tonight or tomorrow early morning. On the forecast track, Mirasol will remain as a tropical storm throughout the forecast period. However, further intensification to severe tropical storm is not ruled out." —VBL, GMA Integrated News