Maymay nears northern Ilocos Sur; Signal No. 2 up in 10 areas

Tropical Storm Maymay continued to move closer to landfall over northern Ilocos Sur, PAGASA said in its 2 a.m. Thursday bulletin.

As of 1 a.m., Maymay was located over the coastal waters of Magsingal, Ilocos Sur, packing maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 105 km/h. It was moving eastward at 10 km/h.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 was raised over:

• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• the northern and central portions of La Union (Luna, Caba, Santol, Bauang, City of San Fernando, San Juan, Bagulin, Aringay, Bangar, San Gabriel, Burgos, Naguilian, Bacnotan, Sudipen, Balaoan)
• the northwestern portion of Pangasinan (Anda, Bolinao, Bani)
• the western portion of Apayao (Conner, Kabugao, Calanasan)
• Abra
• the western portion of Kalinga (Pasil, Tinglayan, Balbalan, Lubuagan)
• the western portion of Mountain Province (Besao, Tadian, Bauko, Sagada, Sabangan, Bontoc, Sadanga)
• the northwestern portion of Benguet (Mankayan, Kapangan, Kibungan, Sablan, Bakun, La Trinidad, Tublay, Atok, Buguias)
• the northwestern portion of Cagayan (Santa Praxedes, Claveria)

Under Signal No. 1 are the following areas:

• the rest of La Union
• the rest of Pangasinan
• the rest of Apayao
• the rest of Kalinga
• the rest of Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• the rest of Benguet
• the southern portion of Babuyan Islands (Calayan Is., Dalupiri Is, Fuga Is., Camiguin Isl.)
• the rest of mainland Cagayan
• Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• the northern portion of Zambales (Candelaria, Santa Cruz, Masinloc, Palauig)
• the northern portion of Tarlac (Mayantoc, San Clemente, Camiling, Santa Ignacia, Gerona, Paniqui, Moncada, San Manuel, Anao, Ramos, Pura, Victoria)
• the northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Lupao, Cuyapo, Talugtug, Nampicuan, Guimba, Science City of Muñoz, San Jose City, Pantabangan, Bongabon, Rizal, Llanera, Talavera, Santo Domingo, General Mamerto Natividad, Quezon, Licab)
• the northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Baler, San Luis, Maria Aurora)

"Maymay will move generally eastward and may make landfall over the northern portion of Ilocos Sur this morning. Afterwards, it will traverse the mountainous terrain of Northern and Central Luzon before emerging over the eastern coastal waters of Isabela or Cagayan," PAGASA said.

PAGASA also said Maymay is expected to remain a tropical storm until it makes landfall in the vicinity of Ilocos Sur.

"Then, as it moves further inland, Maymay will weaken into a tropical depression likely this morning and may be downgraded into a low pressure area this afternoon or evening. However, due to interaction with the rugged terrain, an earlier weakening is possible," it said. —VBL, GMA News