Signal No. 2 in 10 areas as Ulysses moves over West Philippine Sea

Typhoon Ulysses accelerated Thursday afternoon on its westward track over the West Philippine Sea, PAGASA said in its latest severe weather bulletin. 

The weather bureau said Ulysses is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on (AR) Friday morning.

As of 2 p.m., PAGASA said the following areas in Luzon is now under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2:

• the western portion of Pangasinan (Bayambang, Bautista, Alcala, Santo Tomas, Malasiqui, Santa Barbara, Mangaldan, Dagupan City, Basista, San Carlos City, Calasiao, Binmaley, Urbiztondo, Mangatarem, Aguilar, Bugallon, Lingayen, Labrador, Infanta, Mabini, Sual, Dasol, Burgos, Alaminos City, Agno, Bani, Bolinao, Anda)
• Zambales
• Bataan
• Tarlac
• Pampanga
• the southwestern portion of Bulacan (Baliuag, Bustos, San Jose del Monte City, Santa Maria, Marilao, Pandi, Meycauayan City, Bocaue, Balagtas, Plaridel, Obando, Bulacan, Guiguinto, Malolos City, Pulilan, Calumpit, Paombong, Hagonoy)
• Metro Manila
• Cavite
• the southwestern portion of Batangas (Talisay, San Nicolas, Laurel, Agoncillo, Taal, Santa Teresita, San Luis, Bauan, Mabini, Alitagtag, Lemery, Calaca, Balayan, Tuy, Nasugbu, Lian, Calatagan, Tingloy)
• the northwestern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Paluan, Abra de Ilog) including Lubang Island

Meanwhile, the following are under TCWS No. 1:

• the southern portion of Ilocos Sur (Magsingal, Santo Domingo, San Ildefonso, San Vicente, Bantay, Santa Catalina, Vigan City, Caoayan, Santa, Narvacan, Nagbukel, Santa Maria, Burgos, San Esteban, San Emilio, Quirino, Cervantes, Alilem, Sugpon, Suyo, Sigay, Gregorio Del Pilar, Salcedo, Santa Cruz, Tagudin, Santa Lucia, Galimuyod, Candon City, Banayoyo, Santiago, Lidlidda)
• La Union
• the rest of Pangasinan
• the southwestern portion of Abra (Tubo, Luba, Villaviciosa, Pilar, Manabo, San Isidro, Bangued, Pidigan, Langiden, San Quintin)
• the western portion of Mountain Province (Bontoc, Sadanga, Sagada, Sabangan, Bauko, Tadian, Besao)
• the western portion of Ifugao (Lagawe, Banaue, Hingyon, Hungduan, Tinoc, Asipulo, Lamut, Kiangan)
• Benguet
• Nueva Vizcaya
• the southern portion of Aurora (Maria Aurora, Baler, San Luis, Dingalan)
• Nueva Ecija
• the rest of Bulacan
• the northern and western portions of Quezon (Lucena City, Pagbilao, Sariaya, Candelaria, Tiaong, San Antonio, Dolores, Tayabas City, Lucban, Mauban, Sampaloc, Real, General Nakar, Infanta)
• Rizal
• Laguna
• the rest of Batangas
• the northwestern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Baco, Calapan City, Naujan)
• the rest of northern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Santa Cruz, Mamburao)

At 1 p.m., the center of the eye of Ulysses was located 140 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales with maximum sustained winds of 130 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph. It is moving westwards at 35 kph.

Hazards

PAGASA said damaging gale to storm-force winds may prevail in areas under TCWS No. 2, while strong breeze to near gale conditions will be experienced in areas under TCWS No. 1.

PAGASA added that the surge of the northeast monsoon will bring strong breeze to gale-force winds over the rest of Northern Luzon.

Until Thursday night, PAGASA said moderate to heavy rains will prevail over the Cordillera Administrative Region, the eastern portions of Cagayan and Isabela, Zambales, Bataan, Aurora, Cavite, the western portion of Batangas, and Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island; while light to moderate, with at times, heavy rains, will be experienced over Western Visayas, Samar Provinces, Metro Manila, and the rest of Luzon.

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

The weather agency also said there is a minimal to moderate risk of storm surge of up to 1.0 meter over the coastal areas of Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, and Metro Manila.

Moreover, within the next 24 hours, the combined effects of Ulysses and the surge of the northeast monsoon will bring rough to very rough seas (waves of 2.5 to 10.0 m high) over the seaboards of areas under TCWS signal and the norther seaboard of Northern Samar.

Rough to high waves (3.0 to 6.0 m), meanwhile, will prevail over the remaining seaboards of Northern Luzon, while rough to very rough seas (2.5 to 4.5 m) will be experienced over the western seaboard of Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands and the seaboards of Romblon and Bicol Region not under TCWS.

Moderate to rough seas (1.5 to 2.5 m) will also be experienced over the eastern seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao, the seaboards of Cuyo Islands, and the western seaboard of Panay Island.

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