Ulysses intensifies into severe tropical storm; Signal No. 2 still up over 8 areas in Luzon

Tropical Storm Ulysses has intensified into a severe tropical storm on Tuesday evening, PAGASA said.

In its 8 p.m. severe weather bulletin, the weather bureau said Ulysses may rapidly intensify into typhoon category on Wednesday morning and reach its peak intensity (130 to 155 kilometers per hour) on Wednesday afternoon or evening.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 is still hoisted over the following areas in Luzon:

• The central and southern portions of Quezon (Atimonan, Pagbilao, Padre Burgos, Agdangan, Unisan, Plaridel, Gumaca, Pitogo, Macalelon, General Luna, Catanauan, Mulanay, San Francisco, San Andres, San Narciso, Buenavista, Lopez, Guinayangan, Calauag, Tagkawayan, Quezon, Alabat, Perez) including Polillo Islands
• Catanduanes
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Burias and Ticao Islands
• Marinduque

Meanwhile, the following are under TCWS No. 1:

Luzon

• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• La Union
• Pangasinan
• the central and southern portions of Isabela (Quezon, Delfin Albano, Tumauini, Divilacan, Mallig, Quirino, Ilagan, Palanan, San Mariano, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Gamu, Burgos, Roxas, San Manuel, Aurora, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Cauayan City, Cabatuan, San Mateo, Alicia, Angadanan, San Guillermo, Dinapigue, Echague, San Isidro, Ramon, Santiago City, Cordon, Jones, San Agustin)
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Aurora
• Nueva Ecija
• Tarlac
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Zambales
• Bataan
• Metro Manila
• the rest of Quezon
• Rizal
• Laguna
• Cavite
• Batangas
• the rest of Masbate
• Romblon
• Oriental Mindoro
• Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island

Visayas

• Northern Samar
• the northern portion of Samar (Santo Nino, Almagro, Tagapul-An, Tarangnan, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, Gandara, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao)
• the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Maslog, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpo, Arteche, Jipapad)

At 7 p.m., the center of Ulysses was located 425 km east of Daet, Camarines Norte with maximum sustained winds of 95 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph. It is moving west northwestward at 30 kph.

PAGASA said Ulysses will move generally westward towards Camarines Norte-Quezon area. Its center is more likely to make landfall over Quezon on Thursday morning with a close approach of Catanduanes and Camarines Norte on Wednesday afternoon and evening, respectively.

“However, a slight southward shift in the orientation of the track forecast shows an increasing likelihood of landfall over Camarines Norte tomorrow afternoon or evening,” PAGASA said.

Hazards

PAGASA said areas under TCWS No. 2 will experience damaging gale to storm-force winds, while those under TCWS No. 1 will have strong breeze to near gale conditions during the passage of the tropical cyclone.

PAGASA said the highest wind signal to be hoisted during the passage of Ulysses will be TCWS No. 3.

On Tuesday, the tail-end of a cold front will bring light to moderate, with at times, heavy rains over Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte, while light to moderate, with at times, heavy rains due to Ulysses will prevail over  Aurora, Quezon, Bicol Region, Eastern and Central Visayas, Caraga, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Bangsamoro.

Moderate to heavy rains associated with the rainbands of Ulysses, meanwhile, will begin affecting Bicol Region, portions of Quezon, and Samar Provinces on wednesday morning.

PAGASA advised affected residents to prepare for possible flash floods, landslides and sediment-laden streamflows during heavy or prolonged rainfall.

In the next 48 hours, PAGASA said a storm surge of 1.0 to 2.0 meters might also be experienced over CALABARZON, Aurora, Camarines Provinces, Catanduanes, Albay, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Romblon, and Marinduque, the western coastal area of Masbate including Burias Island, and the northern coastal areas of Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro including Lubang Island.

“These storm surges, which may be accompanied by swells and breaking waves reaching the coast can cause life-threatening and damaging coastal inundation,” the weather agency said.

Moreover, in the next 24 hours, rough to very rough seas (2.5 to 5.0 m) will be experienced over the entire seaboards of Northern Luzon and the seaboards of Kalayaan Islands due to the surge of the northeast monsoon.

Meanwhile, Ulysses will also bring rough to very rough seas (2.5 to 6.0 m) over the seaboards of areas under TCWS and the eastern seaboard of Eastern Samar that are not under TCWS.

Moderate to rough seas will also prevail over the remaining seaboards of the country.

“Mariners of small seacrafts are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions,” PAGASA said.—LDF, GMA News