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Nine areas in Bicol, Northern Luzon under Signal No. 1


At least nine areas in Bicol and Northern Luzon were placed under Storm Signal No. 1 early on Thursday as tropical storm “Falcon" (international name: Meari) continued to head toward Extreme Northern Luzon, state weather forecasters said. According to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), “Falcon" may intensify further within the day. As of 4:00 a.m. on Thursday, PAGASA said “Falcon" was estimated at 250 kilometers (km) northeast of Virac, Catanduanes. It has maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It was moving west-northwest at 19 kph and is expected to be 150 km east-northeast of Tuguegarao City by Friday morning, and 170 km north-northwest of Basco, Batanes by Saturday morning. By Sunday morning, it is expected to be 600 km north of Basco, Batanes or 130 km north of Taiwan. Areas under Storm Signal No. 1 The areas under Storm Signal No. 1 are:

  • Albay
  • Catanduanes
  • Camarines Norte
  • Camarines Sur
  • Isabela
  • Cagayan
  • Calayan Group of Islands
  • Babuyan Group of Islands
  • Batanes Group of Islands PAGASA reminded residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under Signal 1 to be alert against possible flash floods and landslides. It added “Falcon" is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon and will bring rains over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. “The provinces of Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Isabela and Cagayan including the islands of Calayan, Babuyan and Batanes will have rains with gusty winds while the rest of the country will experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming widespread rains over the rest of Eastern Luzon and Eastern Visayas which may trigger flashfloods and landslides," it said. Moderate to strong winds blowing from southwest to southeast will prevail over the rest Northern Luzon and coming from the southwest to west over the rest of the country. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be moderate to rough. Strong to gale force winds are expected to affect the western seaboards of Luzon and Visayas and eastern seaboard of the country. “Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves," PAGASA said. Second cyclone PAGASA is also monitoring a possible second cyclone created by cloud formations left behind by “Falcon." In an interview over radio dzBB on Thursday, PAGASA forecaster Rene Paciente said, “May naiwang kaulapan si ‘Falcon,’ posibleng maging LPA (low pressure area) din ... Posibleng maging LPA ang naiwang kaulapan ni ‘Falcon,'" Paciente said. He explained that there had been instances in the past when cyclones passing through Northern Luzon leave behind cloud formations that eventually become LPAs. However, for now, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary Graciano Yumul Jr. said their models show there is little chance that the cloud formation left behind by “Falcon" may become a cyclone. “Yan ang binabantayan natin sa PAGASA ngayon, baka maiwan ang isa at ma-convert sa isang bagyo. Yan ay isang posibilidad, although ang model natin ang sa likod didikit sa una," Yumul said in a separate interview on dwIZ radio. PAGASA forecaster Rene Paciente said, “Inaasahan natin ito didikit sa Bicol area, naapektuhan lang ang Bicol area ng outer spiral niya," Paciente said. Paciente also said their models indicate that “Falcon" will exit Philippine territory by Saturday but will enhance the northwest monsoon and bring more rains during the weekend. On the other hand, he said they are monitoring another low-pressure area still outside the Philippine area of responsibility.- VVP, GMA News
  • Tags: pagasa, weather
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