Tropical cyclone wind signal number 1 has been raised over nine areas as tropical storm "Maring" (international name "Kompasu") continues to assimilate the remnants of tropical depression "Nando," the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 5 a.m. bulletin on Sunday, Oct. 10.
Signal No. 1 has been hoisted over Catanduanes, Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, northeastern portion of Isabela, Eastern Samar, eastern portion of Northern Samar, eastern portion of Samar, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte.
PAGASA said the merging of tropical storm Maring and the low pressure area (LPA) will likely be completed in the next six to 12 hours.
Afterward, the merger cyclone is expected to gradually intensify into a severe tropical storm within 24 to 36 hours.
Possible landfall over mainland Luzon 'not ruled out'
In the next 12 hours, tropical storm Maring will likely accelerate and move north-northwestward over the Philippine Sea, but with the possibility of short-term erratic motion as it assimilates the circulation of Nando, PAGASA said.
Thereafter, Maring may begin to move west-northwestward towards extreme northern Luzon.
Based on the latest forecast track, Maring will traverse the Luzon Strait and pass near or over the Babuyan Islands between Monday evening, Oct. 11, and Tuesday morning, Oct. 12.
However, PAGASA maintained that the possibility of landfall over mainland Luzon is not ruled out at this time.
As of Sunday morning, Maring remained a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 105 kph, while moving northward at 10 kph.
Its center was estimated at 665 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes at around 4 a.m.
Heavy rains, strong winds prevail
PAGASA said the gradual enhancement of the southwesterlies may bring rains over Western Visayas, Palawan, and Occidental Mindoro in the next 24 hours.
Moderate to heavy rains due to Maring may also persist over Eastern Samar and Catanduanes, while light to moderate with at times heavy rains may prevail over Bicol Region, Caraga Region, and the rest of Visayas.
PAGASA advised affected residents to remain vigilant against possible isolated scattered flooding, including flash floods, and rain-induced landslides especially those in areas that are highly susceptible to these hazards.
Moreover, strong winds with higher gusts will prevail in areas where Signal No. 1 is currently in effect.
However, due to the expansive wind field of the tropical storm and the gradual enhancement of the southwesterlies and northeasterlies, PAGASA said that occasional gusts reaching strong breeze to near-gale in strength will likely be experienced over the coastal and upland or mountainous areas of extreme northern Luzon, Mimaropa (Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), Bicol Region, Visayas, Caraga Region, and Northern Mindanao even in the absence of wind signals.