5 areas remain under Signal No. 3 as Florita maintains strength

Five areas remained under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 as Severe Tropical Storm Florita maintained its strength and is now in the vicinity of Alcala, Cagayan, PAGASA said Tuesday.

In its 2 p.m. weather advisory, PAGASA said the following areas are under TCWS No. 3:

• The northern portion of Ilocos Norte (Adams, Dumalneg, Bangui, Burgos, Pasuquin, Vintar, Pagudpud, Carasi, Bacarra, Piddig),
• Apayao,
• the southern portion of Babuyan Islands (Camiguin Is., Fuga Is., Dalupiri Is.),
• mainland Cagayan,
• the northeastern portion of Isabela (Palanan, Divilacan, Maconacon, San Pablo, Tumauini, Cabagan, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, Delfin Albano, Ilagan City, San Mariano)

Under TCWS No. 2 are:

• the rest of Babuyan Islands,
• the rest of Isabela,
• Quirino,
• the northern and eastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Quezon, Diadi, Bagabag, Villaverde, Solano, Kasibu),
• Abra,
• Kalinga,
• Mountain Province,
• Ifugao,
• the northern portion of Benguet (Buguias, Bakun, Mankayan, Kibungan),
• the rest of Ilocos Norte,
• Ilocos Sur, and
• the northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao)

Meanwhile, the following areas are under TCWS No.1:

• Batanes,
• the rest of Nueva Vizcaya,
• the rest of Benguet,
• La Union,
• the eastern portion of Pangasinan (Santo Tomas, Villasis, Mapandan, Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto, Manaoag, City of Urdaneta, Rosales, Balungao, Umingan, San Quintin, Natividad, San Nicolas, Tayug, Santa Maria, Asingan, San Manuel, Binalonan, Sison, Pozorrubio, Laoac, Dagupan City),
• the northeastern portion of Tarlac (San Manuel, Anao),
• Nueva Ecija,
• the rest of Aurora

As of 1 p.m. on Tuesday, PAGASA said the center of Florita was estimated at 17.9°N, 121.7°E in the vicinity of Alcala, Cagayan packing maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 185 km/h, and central pressure of 985 hPa.

At present, Florita is moving west northwestward at 20 km/h

Due to the expected inclement weather caused by the tropical cyclone, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has suspended government work and public school classes in the National Capital Region and nearby provinces for Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday.

Other local governments have also announced class cancellations for Wednesday.

Track, intensity outlook

According to PAGASA, Florita will continue moving generally northwestward or west northwestward and is forecast to traverse the mainland Cagayan and Apayao.

"Afterwards, 'FLORITA' will emerge over the Babuyan Channel tonight," it added.

Florita, which may weaken when it passes through Northern Luzon, is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday morning.  —KBK, GMA News