Opong now over Mindoro Strait, 2 Luzon areas under Signal No. 3

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 is hoisted over two areas in Luzon as Severe Tropical Storm Opong is now over Mindoro Strait, the state weather bureau PAGASA said on Friday afternoon. 

According to the 5 p.m. weather bulletin, the center of Opong was last monitored over the coastal waters of Santa Cruz, Occidental Mindoro. It has maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center, and gustiness of up to 135 kilometers per hour. It is moving west northwestward at 20 kilometers per hour. 

Signal No. 3 is hoisted over Occidental Mindoro and Calamian Islands, which are both in Luzon.

Meanwhile, Signal No. 2 is raised over the following: 

Luzon 

• the southern portion of Cavite (Magallanes, Mendez, Ternate, Amadeo, Naic, Maragondon, Alfonso, Tagaytay City, Trece Martires City, General Emilio Aguinaldo, Indang, Silang)
• Batangas
• Marinduque
• the western portion of Romblon (San Jose, Odiongan, San Andres, Calatrava, San Agustin, Alcantara, Santa Fe, Santa Maria, Concepcion, Looc, Ferrol, Banton, Corcuera)
• Cuyo Islands
• the extreme northern portion of mainland Palawan (El Nido, Taytay, Araceli)

Visayas 

• Caluya Islands 

Further, the following areas are under Signal No.1: 

Luzon 

• Pangasinan
• the southern portion of Aurora (Dingalan, Baler, Maria Aurora, San Luis)
• Nueva Ecija
• Tarlac
• Zambales
• Bataan
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• the rest of Cavite
• Laguna
• Quezon
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Catanduanes
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Masbate
• the rest of Romblon
•  the northern portion of mainland Palawan (Dumaran, San Vicente, Roxas)

Visayas 

• Aklan
• Antique
• Capiz
• Iloilo
• Guimaras
• the northern portion of Negros Occidental (City of Talisay, Bacolod City, Bago City, Murcia, Valladolid, Pulupandan, La Carlota City, San Enrique, Pontevedra, City of Escalante, Cadiz City, Sagay City, Manapla, City of Victorias, Enrique B. Magalona, Silay City, Hinigaran)
•  Bantayan Islands

PAGASA said that Opong will head towards the West Philippine Sea on Friday evening. It may re-intensify into a typhoon within the next 12 hours as it moves over the West Philippine Sea. 

But the state weather bureau said that Opong will exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday afternoon, September 27. 

According to the weather forecast, the severe tropical storm will bring stormy weather over Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, and the northern portion of Palawan. 

Opong may also bring rains with gusty winds over Metro Manila, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Marinduque, Romblon, Antique, and Aklan. 

Further, PAGASA said that the trough of Opong may bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms over the rest of Luzon.—LDF, GMA Integrated News