Intermittent heavy rains, gusty winds in areas affected by Ramon;Sarah to intensify into Tropical Storm

Ramon weakens into a Severe Tropical Storm while moving further inland over Cagayan, PAGASA reported in its early morning weather forecast.

Tropical Depression Sarah, on the other hand, slightly decelerates while moving northwestward.

Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Apayao, and the northern portion of Ilocos Norte will have light to moderate with occasional to frequent heavy rains.

Light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains over Ilocos Sur, Abra, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Ifugao, the northern portion of Isabela, and the rest of Ilocos Norte.

Coastal flooding may be experienced in the coastal areas of northern Luzon, especially on its western and northern portions due to high waves near the coast associated with both Ramon and the northeast monsoon.

On Thursday, Batanes, Cagayan and northern Isabela and Ilocos Norte will have moderate with frequent heavy rains due to Sarah.

Light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains may prevail over northern portion of Aurora, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra and the rest of Isabela and Ilocos Norte.

Residents in these areas, especially those living in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to flooding and rain-induced landslides, are advised to take appropriate actions, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices, and continue monitoring for updates.

As of 4 a.m., the center of Severe Tropical Storm Ramon was estimated based on all available data including Aparri Doppler Radar at in the vicinity of Baggao, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 100 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 165 kph and moving southwest at 10 kph.

Areas in Cagayan under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 are now placed under TCWS No. 2.

Areas under TCWS No. 2, due to Ramon are:

• Batanes
• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• Abra
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur

Areas under TCWS No. 1, due to Ramon, are:

• Northern portion of Isabela (Sta. Maria, San Pablo, Maconacon, Cabagan, Sto. Tomas, Quezon, Delfin Albano, Tumauini, Divilacan, Quirino, Roxas, Mallig, San Manuel, Burgos, Gamu and Ilagan City)
• Mountain Province
• Benguet
• Ifugao
• La Union
• Pangasinan

The center of Tropical Depression Sarah, as of 4 a.m., was estimated at 510 kilometers east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes or 750 km east of Infanta, Quezon with maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph moving northwest at 25 kph.

Areas under TCWS No. 1 due to Sarah, are:

• Eastern portion of Cagayan (Aparri, Baggao, Alcala, Gattaran, Lal-lo, Tuguegarao City, Penablanca, Iguig, Amulung, Santa Teresita, Camalaniugan, Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Buguey, Ballesteros and Calayan)
• Northeastern portion of Isabela (Divilacan, Tumauini, Cabagan, Maconacon and San Pablo)

The weather bureau explained that areas in Cagayan under TCWS No. 1 for Sarah remains under TCWS No. 2 for Ramon due to the prevailing strong winds over these areas.

Sarah is forecast to intensify into a Tropical Storm within 12 hours.

Sea travel is risky, especially for small sea crafts, over the seaboards of areas under TCWS, as well as the seaboards of southern Isabela, Camarines Norte and Catanduanes, the western seaboardd of Zambales, Bataan.

Occidental Mindoro and Palawan, and the northern seaboard of Camarines Sur due to prevailing or forecast rough sea conditions caused by Severe Tropical Storm Ramon, Tropical Depression Sarah and the northeast monsoon. — BAP, GMA News