Tropical storm “Auring” has maintained its strength while almost stationary over the Philippine sea, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
The weather disturbance was last spotted 335 km east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur at 10 a.m. Sunday, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.
PAGASA said Auring is to continue moving generally west-northwestward to northwestward in the next 48 hours before its landfall over the Dinagat Islands-Eastern Samar-Leyte area between Sunday night or Monday morning.
“There is an increasing likelihood that Auring will weaken into a tropical depression before it makes landfall due to persistent high vertical wind shear associated with the surge of the northeast monsoon ,” the agency said.
“However, the possibility that the storm will maintain its strength until landfall is not yet ruled out,” it added.
After landfall, Auring may “weaken considerably due to significant terrain interaction and the increasing wind shear, leading to deterioration into a remnant low within 48 hours, possibly sooner.”
Signal no. 2 has been raised in the following areas:
Visayas
The central and southern portions of Eastern Samar (Sulat, Taft, San Julian, Borongan City, Maydolong, Balangkayan, Balangiga, Lawaan, Llorente, Hernani, General Macarthur, Quinapondan, Giporlos, Salcedo, Mercedes, Guiuan)
Mindanao
Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands
Areas under Signal no. 1
Luzon
Sorsogon, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Albay, Catanduanes, and the eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Presentacion, Sagnay, Buhi, Iriga City, Nabua, Bato, Balatan)
Visayas
Northern Samar, the rest of Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, the northern and central portions of Negros Occidental (Kabankalan City, Himamaylan City, Binalbagan, Isabela, Moises Padilla, Hinigaran, La Castellana, Pontevedra, San Enrique, La Carlota City, Pulupandan, Valladolid, Bago City, Murcia, Bacolod City, Talisay City, Silay City, Enrique B. Magalona, Victorias City, Manapla, Cadiz City, Sagay City, Escalante City, Toboso, Calatrava, San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto), the eastern portion of Iloilo (San Rafael, Barotac Viejo, Lemery, Ajuy, Sara, Concepcion, San Dionisio, Batad, Estancia, Balasan, Carles), and the eastern portion of Capiz (Roxas City, Panitan, Ma-Ayon, Cuartero, Dumarao, Panay, Pontevedra, President Roxas, Pilar)
Mindanao
Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao City, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, and Bukidnon
Meanwhile, moderate to heavy rains may occur in Caraga, Eastern Visayas, Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, and Camiguin on Sunday, while light to moderate with at times heavy rains would be felt in Zamboanga Peninsula, Bicol Region, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), Davao
Oriental, Davao de Oro, Quezon, and the rest of Visayas and Northern Mindanao.
The storm is forecast to be in the vicinity of Jaro, Leyte by Monday morning, and 80 km North of Coron, Palawan the following day.
By Monday, light to moderate with at times heavy rains may affect Visayas, Bicol Region, Mimaropa region, Quezon, Aurora, Isabela, and Cagayan.
Scattered flooding including flash floods and rain-induced landslides may happen during heavy or prolonged rainfall in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to such hazards.
PAGASA said the combined effects of the surge of the amihan and the tropical storm will bring gale-force winds in areas under signal 2 and strong breeze to near-gale conditions with occasionally higher gusts over areas under signal number 1 in the next 24 hours.
Such sea conditions may also prevail in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), Mimaropa, Aurora, and the rest of Visayas and Bicol Region.
“Sea travel is risky for all types of sea vessels over these waters,” PAGASA warned.