Expect a wet weekend as Tropical Storm “Jolina” (international name: Pakhar) and the southwest monsoon continue to bring rains, particularly over Luzon.
In a press conference at 5 p.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the center of Jolina was expected to make landfall in Aurora province in Central Luzon by Friday night, and then cross Northern Luzon, particularly Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Benguet, Mountain Province, La Union and Ilocos Sur.
As of 4 p.m., the center of the storm was estimated 110 kilometers south-southeast of Casiguran, Aurora. The storm was already packing maximum sustained winds of 80 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 95 kph, as it continued moving west-northwest at 19 kph.
Jolina was expected to exit the landmass by Saturday morning, and the Philippine area of responsibility by Sunday morning.
Weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said Jolina would mostly affect Northern and Central Luzon. Rains over the rest of Luzon, including Metro Manila, and Western Visayas were due to the southwest monsoon, Aurelio said.
As of Friday afternoon, 18 areas in Luzon have already been placed under a tropical cyclone warning signal due to Jolina.
Signal No. 1 has been hoisted over Cagayan including the Babuyan Group of Islands, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, northern Quezon including Polillo Island, and Camarines Norte; while Signal No. 2 was hoisted over Isabela, Aurora, Quirino, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Ilocos Sur, Benguet, Abra, La Union and Nueva Vizcaya.
Meanwhile, Pagasa hydrologist Richard Orendain said Luzon dams’ reservoir water levels were slowly rising due to the rains, with Magat Dam at the border of Isabela and Ifugao provinces having already opened one gate to release water on Friday afternoon. Areas around the dam had been warned of a possible sudden rise in river waters due to the release.
Ipo Dam in Bulacan is also mulling over releasing water either on Friday evening or Saturday, Orendain said.
Pagasa said while it was possible Jolina could still intensify into a severe tropical storm, it was not expected to develop into a typhoon while in the Philippine area of responsibility.
In Baguio City, parents and students crowded the downtown area on Friday afternoon after school officials canceled classes in all levels in anticipation of Jolina.
Jolina was expected to cross the Cordilleras on Saturday as it moved toward the West Philippine Sea.
At noon, Signal No. 2 was raised in all Cordillera provinces, except Apayao, which was placed under Signal No. 1, according to the region’s disaster risk reduction and management office.
The Department of Transportation cautioned motorists on traveling to Baguio via Kennon Road as the area is prone to rockslides during heavy downpour.
As of 6 a.m. on Friday, water levels in Ambuklao and Binga Dams were within their normal levels.
The water level at Ambuklao Dam reservoir was 751.46 meters above sea level (masl), close to its spilling level of 752 meters, while that at Binga Dam was 573.89 masl, close to the spilling level of 575 masl.
Classes were suspended in at least four towns in Albay province on Friday due to heavy rains dumped by Jolina in the Bicol region, disaster response officials said.
Abundio Nuñez, special operations officer of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office, said the municipal disaster officials in Libon town declared the suspension of classes in all levels due to threats of flooding and landslide.
Classes in grade school in the village of Ogob in Malinao town were also suspended.
In Polangui town, some schools suspended classes after the town government gave barangay disaster response officials to order the suspension, Nuñez said.
Reports said Pio Duran officials had also suspended classes in all levels on Friday.
The Philippine Coast Guard also stopped vessels from leaving ports in the provinces of Catanduanes, Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte due to the storm. —WITH REPORTS FROM KARLSTON LAPNITEN, MA. APRIL MIER AND MAR S. ARGUELLES