Signal No. 3 may be raised in NCR, Bicol region, other parts of Luzon due to ‘Ulysses’

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 may be raised over Metro Manila and portions of Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Bicol Region once severe tropical storm Ulysses develops into a typhoon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Wednesday.

According to the severe weather bulletin issued by Pagasa at 5 a.m., “Ulysses” is forecast to intensify into a typhoon within the next 12 hours and reach its peak of intensity of 130 to 155 kilometers per hour prior to landfall.

“Given the likelihood of intensification into a typhoon in the next 12 hours, TCWS #3 may be raised over Metro Manila and portions of Central Luzon, CALABARZON, and Bicol Region once “ULYSSES” is upgraded to typhoon category,” Pagasa said.

“In other areas, the rest of Northern Luzon will be experiencing strong breeze to gale-force winds due to the surge of the Northeast Monsoon,” the weather bureau added.

Pagasa said “Ulysses” may slightly weaken as it crosses mainland Luzon due to the presence of the Sierra Madre and Zambales Mountain Ranges along its projected path. However, it is likely to remain a typhoon during its traverse.

At 4 a.m., the center of the severe tropical storm was spotted 180 km Northeast of Virac, Catanduanes or 415 km East of Infanta, Quezon. It is currently moving west-northwestward at 15 kph, and has maximum sustained winds of 100 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 125 kph.

On the forecast track, the weather disturbance will move generally westward throughout the forecast period and pass over the seas north of Catanduanes between this Wednesday morning and afternoon and north of Camarines provinces between Wednesday afternoon or evening.

“Due to the orientation of the track forecast, these provinces may fall within the inner rainbands of this storm during the passage. The center of “Ulysses’ is forecast to make landfall over Polillo Islands and mainland Quezon between tonight and tomorrow early morning. Afterwards, ‘Ulysses’ will cross mainland Luzon and emerge over the western seaboard of Central Luzon between tomorrow morning and afternoon,” Pagasa said.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals

Throughout the passage of “Ulysses,” areas under TCWS No. 2 will experience “damaging gale-force to storm-force winds,” while those under TCWS No. 1 will have “strong breeze to near gale conditions.”

TCWS No. 2 is raised in the following areas in Luzon:

– southern portion of Quirino (Maddela, Nagtipunan)
– southern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Dupax Del Norte, Dupax Del Sur, Aritao, Santa Fe, Alfonso Castaneda)
– eastern portion of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, San Manuel, Natividad, San Quintin, Umingan, Tayug, Santa Maria, Balungao, Asingan, Urdaneta City, Malasiqui, Bayambang, Basista, Bautista, Alcala, Villasis, Rosales, Binalonan, Laoac, Santo Tomas)
– southern portion of Zambales (Botolan, Cabangan, San Felipe, San Narciso, San Marcelino, San Antonio, Castillejos, Subic, Olongapo City)
– Bataan
– Tarlac
– Pampanga
– Nueva Ecija
– Aurora
– Bulacan
– Metro Manila
– Rizal
– Laguna
– Cavite
– Batangas
– Quezon including Polillo Islands
– Marinduque
– northern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Paluan, Abra de Ilog) including Lubang Island
– northern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Pola, Victoria, Naujan, Baco, Calapan City, San Teodoro, Puerto Galera)
– Camarines Norte
– Camarines Sur
– Albay
– Sorsogon
– Catanduanes
– Burias and Ticao Islands

TCWS No. 1 is raised in the following areas:

Luzon

– Isabela
– rest of Quirino
– rest of Nueva Vizcaya
– Kalinga
– Mountain Province
– Ifugao
– Benguet
– Abra
– Ilocos Sur
– La Union
– rest of Pangasinan
– rest of Zambales
– rest of Occidental Mindoro
– rest of Oriental Mindoro, Romblon
– rest of Masbate

Visayas

– Northern Samar
– northern portion of Samar (Santo Nino, Almagro, Tagapul-An, Tarangnan, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, Gandara, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao)
– northern portion of Eastern Samar (Maslog, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpo, Arteche, Jipapad)

Forecast weather

For the weather forecast, Pagasa said that between Wednesday early morning and late afternoon, heavy to intense with at times torrential rains will be experienced over Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes.

Meanwhile, moderate to heavy with at times intense rains will be experienced over Albay, Sorsogon, Quezon including Polillo Islands, and Burias and Ticao Islands, while light to moderate with at times heavy rains will prevail in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon and Visayas.

Between Wednesday late afternoon and Thursday early morning, heavy to intense with at times torrential rains will be experienced over Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Aurora, Bulacan, Pampanga, and Bataan, according to Pagasa.

Cordillera Administrative Region, mainland Cagayan Valley, Catanduanes, Marinduque, the northern portion of Mindoro Provinces, and the rest of Central Luzon will have moderate to heavy with at times intense rains. Light to moderate with at times heavy rains will also be experienced over the rest of Luzon and Visayas.

“Flooding (including flashfloods), rain-induced landslides, and sediment-laden streamflows (i.e. lahar) may occur during heavy or prolonged rainfall especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards and/or those that received significant antecedent rainfall,” Pagasa added.