Metro Manila, other provinces downgraded to signal No. 1 as Juaning exits country

MANILA, Philippines—The state-run weather bureau lowered storm signal warnings in Metro Manila and several provinces after tropical storm “Juaning” (international name: Nock-ten) slightly weakened following a landfall on northern Luzon.

Signal No. 2 is hoisted only in the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Abra, Kalinga, Isabela, Ilocos Sur, Mt. Province, Ifugao, La Union, Benguet, Nueva Viscaya and Quirino.

Pagasa downgraded Metro Manila from signal No. 2 to signal No. 1 along with Aurora, Apayao, Cagayan, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Northern Quezon, Zambales, Pampanga, Tarlac, Bulacan, Bataan and Rizal.

Elsewhere, warnings had been lifted, Pagasa said.

In its latest weather bulleting issued at 5 p.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that as of 4 p.m., Juaning was tracked 60 kilometer northeast of Baguio City and was packing maximum winds of 85 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 100 kph.

Juaning is forecast to move northwestward at 17 kph.

The tropical storm made landfall around 9:30 a.m. in Casiguran, Aurora.

“Residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under signals 2 and 1 are alerted against possible flash floods and landslides. Likewise, those living in coastal areas are alerted against big waves or storm surges generated by this tropical cyclone,” Pagasa warned.

Juaning will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring widespread rains, which may trigger flash floods and landslides over the rest of Luzon and western Visayas, the state-run weather bureau added.

The tropical cyclone was expected to cross northern Luzon area by Wednesday evening.

In a separate interview, Pagasa weather forecaster Rene Paciente said that Juaning will exit La Union toward the West Philippine Sea between 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday. Juaning is forecast to exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Thursday afternoon, Paciente said.

Paciente added that Juaning has a bigger rainband—measuring around 500 to 600 kilometers in diameter—than tropical storm Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) but that it will only bring about 40 percent of Ondoy’s rainfall.

Nevertheless, Paciente said that Metro Manila should brace for more rains now that Juaning is crossing northern Luzon. He added that once Juaning crosses the Sierra Madre ridge, Metro Manila will be fully exposed to the storms winds and rains.

By Thursday afternoon, Juaning will be 240 km west northwest of Laoag City and by Friday morning, the storm will be 520 km west of Basco, Batanes.

The country may expect better weather conditions by Thursday afternoon.

Meanwhile, another weather disturbance was monitored by Pagasa 1,400 kilometers east of Mindanao. Paciente said that the tropical depression is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility but will exit immediately. He added that they don’t expect the latest weather disturbance to affect the country’s weather condition.