TCWS No. 1 still hoisted on Kalayaan Islands; ‘Vicky’ to exit PAR Sunday
MANILA, Philippines — Only Kalayaan Islands remains under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 as tropical depression Vicky is forecast to intensify into a tropical storm in the next 24 hours and exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) this Sunday afternoon or evening, according to the state weather bureau.
“Strong breeze to near gale conditions will be experienced over the Kalayaan Islands due to the passage of the tropical depression,” the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its weather bulletin issued at 5 a.m. Sunday.
According to Pagasa, the center of Vicky was last spotted 195 kilometers west-northwest of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, or 340 kilometers east of Kalayaan, Palawan.
Vicky is moving west-northwestward at 25 kph, and packs maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph.
Pagasa said the tropical depression is forecast to move generally west-northwestward over the West Philippine Sea in the next 12 hours.
After exiting PAR, Vicky will then turn southwest “as it comes under the full influence of the surge of the northeast monsoon,” the weather bureau added.
However, Pagasa said the tropical depression is less likely to reach the severe tropical storm category throughout the forecast period due to “marginally favorable conditions.”
According to Pagasa, the combined effects of Vicky and the tail-end of a frontal system will bring moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over mainland Cagayan Valley, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Aurora, Quezon, Bicol Region, and Kalayaan Islands. Light to moderate with at times heavy rains are expected over Babuyan Islands, Metro Manila, and the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Mimaropa this Sunday.
For Monday, the two weather systems will bring moderate to heavy rains over Babuyan Islands, mainland Cagayan Valley, Aurora, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, and Ifugao. Light to moderate with at times heavy rains are expected over Batanes, Kalayaan Islands, and the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region.
“Flooding (including flash floods) and rain-induced landslides may occur during heavy or prolonged periods of rainfall, especially in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards and in localities that received significant antecedent rainfall over the past couple of days or weeks,” Pagasa warned.
“Adjacent or nearby areas may also experience flooding in the absence of such rainfall occurrence due to surface runoff or swelling of river channels,” the weather bureau added.
Meanwhile, gusty conditions are also likely over most of Luzon, especially in coastal and mountainous areas, due to the surge of the northeast monsoon.
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