Typhoon "Ulysses" (international name "Vamco") has intensified further prior to its first landfall in the vicinity of Patnanungan, Quezon province around 10:30 p.m., while continuously unleashing destructive winds and intense rains within its periphery.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the center of Ulysses will likely make another landfall over Polillo Island within the next hour and then over the northern portion of mainland Quezon, most likely General Nakar-Infanta area, between 12 a.m. and 3 a.m.
During its passage within the next three hours, destructive typhoon-force winds and intense with at times torrential rainfall associated with the region of the eyewall and inner rainbands of the typhoon may prevail over the central and southern portions of Aurora, northern and central portion of Quezon including Polillo Islands, and western portion of Camarines Norte within the next three hours.
Afterwards, the typhoon may start to traverse Central Luzon and emerge over the western seaboard of Zambales by Thursday morning.
The typhoon is forecast to slightly weaken while crossing Central Luzon due to frictional effects in the presence of the Sierra Madre and Zambales mountain ranges but it is likely to remain a typhoon, "which can still be considerably strong," throughout its passage.
As of 10 p.m., Ulysses has maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 205 kph. It is moving west-northwest at 15 kph.
Ulysses' slow movement makes it even more destructive, weather specialist Loriedin dela Cruz said.
She advised residents in Central Luzon, southern portion of Northern Luzon, Metro Manila, and Calabarzon to stay vigilant, especially during the 12-hour crucial period when Ulysses traverses the mainland Luzon.
Tropical cyclone wind signal number 3 remains hoisted over Metro Manila, southern portion of Quirino (Maddela, Nagtipunan), southern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castaneda, Dupax Del Norte, Dupax Del Sur), Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, northern and central portions of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta, Real, Mauban, Sampaloc, Lucban, Tayabas City, Sariaya, Candelaria, Dolores, Tiaong, San Antonio, Lucena City, Pagbilao, Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Unisan, Agdangan, Gumaca, Plaridel, Pitogo, Macalelon, Lopez, General Luna, Catanauan, Buenavista, Guinayangan, Tagkawayan, Calauag, Quezon, Alabat, Perez) including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, and northern portion of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Cabusao, Libmanan, Sipocot, Lupi, Ragay, Del Gallego, Tinambac, Calabanga, Bombon, Magarao).
Signal number 2 is also raised over the central and southern portions of Isabela (Mallig, Quirino, Ilagan, Roxas, Burgos, Gamu, Palanan, San Mariano, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Reina Mercedes, Luna, San Manuel, Aurora, Cabatuan, Cauayan City, San Mateo, Alicia, Angadanan, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, San Isidro, Ramon, Santiago City, Cordon), the rest of Quirino, the rest of Nueva Vizcaya, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, the southern portion of Ilocos Sur (Cervantes, Quirino, San Emilio, Lidlidda, Santiago, Banayoyo, Candon City, Galimuyod, Gregorio Del Pilar, Salcedo, Santa Lucia, Santa Cruz, Sigay, Suyo, Tagudin, Alilem, Sugpon), La Union, northern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Paluan, Abra de Ilog) including Lubang Island, northern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Pola, Victoria, Naujan, Baco, Calapan City, San Teodoro, Puerto Galera), Marinduque, the rest of Quezon, the rest of Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Burias Island, and northern portion of Sorsogon (Sorsogon City, Castilla, Pilar, Donsol).
Signal number 1 meanwhile is up in the rest of Isabela, Kalinga, Abra, the rest of Ilocos Sur, the rest of Occidental Mindoro, the rest of Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, the rest of Sorsogon, central and western portion of Masbate (Palanas, Cawayan, Milagros, Dimasalang, Uson, Mobo, Masbate City, Baleno, Aroroy, Mandaon, Balud) including Ticao Island, and western portion of Northern Samar (Lavezares, Biri, San Jose, Rosario, Victoria, San Isidro, Allen, San Antonio, Capul, San Vicente).
PAGASA warned of destructive typhoon-force winds over areas under signal number 3, damaging gale- to storm-force winds in areas under signal number 2, and strong breeze to near gale conditions in areas under signal number 1.
The surge of northeast monsoon or "amihan" may also bring strong breeze to gale-force winds over the rest of Northern Luzon.
Until Thursday noon, heavy to intense with at times torrential rains may prevail over Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Central Luzon, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, and eastern portion of Isabela.
Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains may affect Cordillera Administrative Region, the rest of mainland Cagayan Valley, Pangasinan, Marinduque, northern portion of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island, Albay, Catanduanes, and Burias Island, while light to moderate with at times heavy rains may affect the rest of Luzon and Visayas.
From Thursday noon until evening, heavy to intense with at times torrential rains may begin to affect Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, and northern portion of Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island, while moderate to heavy with at times intense rains may prevail over Cordillera Administrative Region, mainland Cagayan Valley, Babuyan Islands, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, the rest of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, the rest of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, and Calamian Islands.
Light to moderate with at times heavy rains may also affect Western Visayas and the rest of Luzon.
PAGASA warned of possible flooding, including flashfloods, rain-induced landslides, and sediment-laden streamflows, including lahar that may occur during heavy or prolonged rainfall especially in areas that are highly susceptible to these hazards.
It also warned of "high risk" storm surge of up to 3.0 meters (m) over the coastal areas of Aurora, Quezon including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, and the northern and eastern coastal areas of Camarines Sur, and up to 2.0 m over the coastal areas of La Union, Pangasinan, Isabela, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, northern portions of Mindoro Provinces including Lubang Island, Marinduque, Romblon, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Albay, and Sorsogon, and the remaining coastal areas of Camarines Sur.
These storm surges, which may be accompanied by swells and/or breaking waves near the coast, can cause life-threatening and damaging coastal inundation.
Moreover, there is also a moderate risk of seiche or storm surge over the coastal areas surrounding Laguna de Bay.
Sea travel has been suspended over the entire seaboards of Northern Luzon Kalayaan Islands, eastern seaboard of Eastern Samar, and coasts of areas with tropical cyclone warnings due to rough to very rough sea conditions.