27 areas under Signal No. 2 as Ulysses intensifies, nears typhoon category

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 was raised over 27 areas due to Severe Tropical Storm Ulysses, now close to developing into a typhoon, according to state weather bureau PAGASA on Wednesday morning.

In its 8 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the following areas are under Signal No.2:

• central and southern portions of Quirino (Maddela, Cabarroguis, Aglipay, Nagtipunan)
• central and southern portions of Nueva Vizcaya (Kasibu, Bambang, Kayapa, Dupax Del Norte, Dupax Del Sur, Aritao, Santa Fe, Alfonso Castaneda)
• southern portion of Benguet (Bokod, Itogon, Tublay, La Trinidad, Sablan, Baguio City, Tuba),
• southern portion of La Union (Burgos, Naguilian, Bauang, Caba, Aringay, Tubao, Pugo, Santo Tomas, Rosario, Agoo)
• Pangasinan
• Zambales
• Bataan
• Tarlac
• Pampanga
• Nueva Ecija
• Aurora
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• Laguna
• Cavite
• Batangas
• Quezon including Polillo Islands,
• Marinduque
• northern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Paluan, Abra de Ilog) including Lubang Island
• northern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Pola, Victoria, Naujan, Baco, Calapan City, San Teodoro, Puerto Galera)
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Catanduanes
• Burias and Ticao Islands

Signal No. 1, meanwhile, was hoisted over the following areas:

• Isabela
• the rest of Quirino
• he rest of Nueva Vizcaya
• Kalinga, Mountain Province
• Ifugao, the rest of Benguet
• Abra
• Ilocos Sur
• the rest of La Union
• the rest of Occidental Mindoro
• the rest of Oriental Mindoro
• Romblon
• the rest of Masbate Northern Samar
• northern portion of Samar (Santo Nino, Almagro, Tagapul-An, Tarangnan, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, Gandara, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao)
• northern portion of Eastern Samar (Maslog, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpo, Arteche, Jipapad)

PAGASA said areas under Signal No. 2 will be experiencing "damaging gale-force to storm-force winds," while those under TCWS #1 will have "strong breeze to near gale conditions."

As Ulysses is expected to intensify into a typhoon in the next 12 to 24 hours, PAGASA said Signal No. 3 may be hoisted over some provinces in the Bicol region, over Metro Manila, and some portions of Calabarzon and Central Luzon.

Ulysses is seen to make landfall over Polillo Islands and mainland Quezon between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, according to PAGASA.

After landfall, Ulysses will pass mainland Luzon and emerge over the western seaboard of Central Luzon between Thursday morning and afternoon, PAGASA added.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has reminded localities, especially those in Bicol region and nearby areas, to implement the necessary protocols in preparation for Ulysses.

As a precaution, preemptive evacuations have already been done in several communities in Camarines Norte and the island province of Catanduanes, which bore the brunt of Super Typhoon Rolly.

The threat of Ulysses also prompted several local government units to cancel classes for  the day.

At 7 a.m., Ulysses was located at 135 kilometer north northeast of Virac, Catanduanes or 350 km east of Infanta, Quezon with maximum sustained winds of 110 km per hour and gustiness of up to 135 km/h. It is moving westward at 20 km/h.

Due to the surge of the Northeast Monsoon, PAGASA said the rest of Northern Luzon will have strong breeze to gale-force winds.

Between Wednesday morning and late afternoon, heavy to intense with at times torrential rains are expected over Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes.

Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains can be experienced over Albay, Sorsogon, Quezon including Polillo Islands, and Burias and Ticao Islands.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains are expected over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon and Visayas.

Between Wednesday late afternoon and Thursday morning, heavy to intense with at times torrential rains can be experienced over Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, Aurora, Bulacan, Pampanga, and Bataan.

Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains will be experienced over Cordillera Administrative Region, mainland Cagayan Valley, Catanduanes, Marinduque, the northern portion of Mindoro Provinces, and the rest of Central Luzon.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains are expected over the rest of Luzon and Visayas.

PAGASA warned of possible flooding(including flash floods, rain-induced landslides, and sediment-laden streamflows like lahar during heavy or prolonged rainfall in areas that are prone to the hazards.

Same hazards may be also encountered in areas that received significant antecedent rainfall.   —KBK, GMA News