More areas in the Mindanao were placed under a tropical cyclone wind signal warning as tropical storm “Auring” remained almost stationary over the Philippine Sea on Friday, Feb. 19.
In its 5 a.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) raised signal number 1 in the following areas:
- Davao Oriental
- Eastern portion of Davao de Oro (Pantukan, Maragusan, New Bataan, Compostela, Monkayo)
- Southeastern portion of Agusan del Sur (San Francisco, Rosario, Bunawan, Trento, Santa Josefa), and
- Southern portion of Surigao del Sur (Bayabas, Cagwait, Marihatag, San Agustin, Lianga, Barobo, Tagbina, Hinatuan, Bislig City, Lingig).
Localities under signal number 1 may expect winds of up to 30-60 kilometers (kph) or intermittent rains in the next 36 hours.
As of 4 a.m., the center of Auring was spotted at 595 km east southeast of Hinatuan town, Surigao del Sur, and has maintained its strength with maximum sustained winds of 75 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.
PAGASA said Auring is still forecast to make landfall over the eastern coast of the Caraga Region on Sunday, Feb. 21, and may further intensify into a severe tropical storm in the next 48 hours.
“However, the storm will likely weaken while crossing the archipelago due to significant terrain interaction and dry air intrusion from the Northeast Monsoon,” it said.
Based on the forecast track, the storm will likely follow a generally northwestward path as it traverses Caraga Region, Visayas, and Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan) region on Sunday and Monday.
In its 24-hour weather forecast, the trough of Auring may bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and Davao Region.
By Saturday to Sunday morning, moderate to heavy with at times intense rains may be experienced in Caraga Region, Davao Oriental, and Davao de Oro; while moderate to heavy rains in Eastern Visayas, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Bukidnon, and Davao del Norte.
Residents in the said areas were warned of possible flash floods or landslides due to moderate with at times heavy rains.
Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon or “amihan” will prevail over Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region, and the provinces of Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Aurora, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblon and may bring cloudy skies with rains.
Due to the amihan, Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, and the rest of Visayas may experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains, while the rest of Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms.