Weather disturbance “Auring” has weakened into a tropical depression ahead of its landfall, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) Sunday night.
The state weather bureau also lifted tropical cyclone wind signal number 2 in areas that were earlier expected to be hit by Auring.
At 10 p.m. Sunday, the center of Auring was spotted at 210 km East of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph while moving in a west-northwest direction at a speed of 15 kph.
PAGASA said Auring will continue to move northwest in the next 24 hours before making landfall over the Dinagat Islands-Eastern Samar-Leyte area in the next six to 12 hours.
“There is an increasing likelihood that Auring will further weaken before it makes landfall due to persistent high vertical wind shear associated with the surge of the northeast monsoon,” the agency said in its 11 p.m. bulletin.
After landfall, the tropical depression “is forecast to weaken considerably due to significant terrain interaction and the increasing wind shear, leading to deterioration into a remnant low within 24 hours, possibly sooner.”
Auring was estimated to be in the vicinity of Ivisan, Capiz by Monday night.
Signal number 1 has been raised in the following areas:
Luzon
Sorsogon, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Albay, Catanduanes, and the eastern portion of Camarines Sur
Visayas
Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor, the northern and eastern portions of Negros Oriental, the northern and central portions of Negros Occidental, the eastern portion of Iloilo, and the eastern portion of Capiz
Mindanao
Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, the northern portion of Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, the northern portion of Agusan del Sur, the eastern portion of Misamis Oriental, and Camiguin
Winds of 30 to 60 kph or intermittent rains may be expected in the said areas within 36 hours, while structure may sustain no to light damages.
Moderate to heavy rains may be experienced over Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and Camiguin until Monday morning.
Light to moderate with at times heavy rains may be felt in Bicol Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), Quezon, and the rest of Visayas, Caraga, and Northern Mindanao.
From Monday morning to late evening, moderate to heavy rains may affect Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Quezon, Marinduque, and Romblon, while ight to moderate with at times heavy rains over Aurora, and the rest of Visayas, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), and Mimaropa.