MANILA, Philippines — Signal No. 1 was raised in Catanduanes and parts of Samar after the low pressure area (LPA) off Southern Luzon developed into Tropical Depression Amang on Tuesday, the Philippines’ first tropical cyclone for 2023, according to the state weather bureau.
In an early morning weather forecast, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Amang was last sighted 475 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes, moving west northwest at 20 kilometers per hour (km/h).
It has maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h and gustiness of up to 55 km/h.
“Ngayong araw, ine-expect natin na makararanas na ng mga pag-ulan na may kasamang bugso ng malalakas na hangin ang area ng Northern Samar at Eastern Samar,” said Pagasa weather specialist Grace Castañeda.
(Today, we expect rains and gusty winds in Northern Samar and Eastern Samar.)
Central Visayas, Caraga, Bicol Region, and the rest of Eastern Visayas will likewise encounter scattered, Amang-induced rain showers and thunderstorms, she added.
Meanwhile, Castañeda said isolated rains are expected over Metro Manila and the rest of the country.
The following areas are under Signal No. 1:
- Catanduanes
- Northern portion of Eastern Samar – Taft, Can-Avid, Sulat, Dolores, Oras, Arteche, San Policarpo, Jipapad, Maslog, San Julian
- Eastern portion of Northern Samar – Catubig, Lapinig, Gamay, Mapanas, Palapag, Laoang, San Roque, Pambujan, Mondragon
Castañeda said Amang will remain a tropical depression and may weaken into an LPA by late Thursday or early Friday, but there is still a chance of it making a landfall.
“Hindi natin inaalis iyong possibility na magkaroon tayo ng landfall scenario sa Bicol Peninsula area or sa northern portion ng Samar Island,” she explained.
(We’re not ruling out the possibility of a landfall scenario in the Bicol Peninsula area or the northern portion of Samar Island.)
Pagasa has raised a gale warning in the eastern seaboard of Catanduanes, the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar, and the eastern seaboard of Eastern Samar.