MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 was hoisted over four provinces in Luzon on Monday as Tropical Storm Ramon strengthens and moves closer to northern Cagayan, the state weather bureau said.
The following areas are placed under Signal No. 2:
-Cagayan (including Babuyan Islands)
-Northern portion of Isabela (Sta. Maria, San Pablo, Maconacon, Cabagan, Sto. Tomas, Quezon, Delfino Albano, Tumauini, and Divilacan)
-Apayao
-Kalinga
Areas under Signal No. 2 are expected to experience winds of 61 kilometers per hour (kph) up to 120 kph in 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Batanes, Ilocos Noorther, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Northern Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, and Dinalungan) and the rest of Isabela were placed under Signal No. 1.
These areas will experience winds of 30 kph to 60 kph in 36 hours, Pagasa said.
Ramon was last spotted 210 kilometers (km) east-northeast of Casiguran, Aurora or 225 km east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.
Ramon is packing maximum sustained winds of 85 kph and gusts of up to 105 kph. The tropical storm is moving northwest at 10 kph, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
Ramon is expected to make landfall over northern Cagayan between Monday night and Tuesday morning, where it is also likely to further intensify.
Light to moderate with occasional heavy rain will prevail over the eastern portions of Cagayan and Isabela from morning to afternoon Monday.
Meanwhile, the rest of Cagayan, Isabela, Babuyan Islands, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Abra, and Ilocos Norte, will experience light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains, Pagasa said.
On Monday night, the Babuyan Islands and Apayao will experience moderate with occasional to frequent heavy rains.
Pagasa added that light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains will prevail over Batanes, Isabela, Kalinga, Abra and Ilocos Norte on Monday night.
Pagasa warns residents of the said areas to take appropriate actions, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management officers and monitor for updates.
The weather bureau added that sea travel is risky, especially for small sea vessels, over the seaboards of areas under TCWS, western seaboard of Northern Luzon, and eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon due to rough sea conditions.
Pagasa is also monitoring a low-pressure area (LPA) outside of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
The LPA was last located at 1,860 km east of Eastern Visayas and it is expected to enter PAR on Tuesday.