6 VisMin areas under Signal No. 1 as Ada decelerates

Signal No. 1 is still up in six areas in Visayas and Mindanao as Tropical Depression Ada sustained strength but slowed down in the waters east of Mindanao, PAGASA said late Wednesday afternoon.

Based on the state weather bureau’s 5 p.m. weather bulletin, the following areas are under Signal No. 1:

Visayas:

Northern Samar
Samar
Eastern Samar

Mindanao:

Dinagat Islands
Surigao del Norte
Surigao del Sur

At 4 p.m., Ada was located 545 km east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, carrying maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h near the center and gusts of up to 55 km/h. It was moving west northwestward at 10 km/h.

PAGASA said Signal No. 2 may be the highest wind signal hoisted throughout the passage of Ada.

Meanwhile, the Northeast Monsoon (Amihan) and the periphery of Ada will bring on Thursday strong to gale-force gusts over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, northern and eastern mainland Cagayan, eastern Isabela, Aurora, most of CALABARZON, Lubang Islands, Marinduque, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, Cuyo Islands, Bicol Region, and Central Visayas.

State meteorologists forecast that Ada will generally move northwestward over the next three days.

It is expected to pass close or make landfall over Eastern Visayas on Friday or early Saturday morning.

The storm will then pass close or make landfall over Catanduanes on Saturday or Sunday, before turning generally northeastward over the sea east of Luzon.  

“Ada is forecast to reach Tropical Storm category within the next 24 hours. It will continue to gradually intensify over the Philippine Sea,” PAGASA said. —VBL, GMA Integrated News