By Brian Campued
Typhoon Nika is forecast to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) Tuesday morning, however, the tropical depression outside PAR may enter the region during the same period and will be given local name “Ofel”, according to PAGASA.
In its tropical cyclone bulletin issued at 5:00 p.m., the state weather bureau said “Nika” was last spotted in the vicinity of Besao, Mountain Province, moving west-northwestward at 25 kilometers per hour.
The typhoon packs maximum sustained winds of 120 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 200 kph.
“Magta-traverse siya [Bagyong Nika] dito sa landmass ng northern at central Luzon and then eventually ay lalabas din po sa coastal waters ng Ilocos Sur this evening,” PAGASA weather specialist Loriedin de La Cruz-Galicia said in a public briefing.
“It will continue to move west-northwestward over the West Philippine Sea and eventually po ay mag-e-exit sa ating PAR by tomorrow,” De La Cruz-Galicia added.
Nika will continue to bring strong winds and heavy rains across northern and central portions of Luzon as it moves over the Cordillera Administrative Region, particularly in areas under the Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 4:
- Kalinga
- Mountain Province
- Northern portion of Ifugao (Aguinaldo, Mayoyao, Alfonso Lista, Banaue, Hungduan, Hingyon, Lagawe)
- Central and southern portion of Abra (Manabo, Pidigan, San Juan, Tayum, Langiden, Luba, Boliney, Sallapadan, Bucloc, Lagangilang, Tubo, Danglas, Villaviciosa, La Paz, Licuan-Baay, Pilar, Malibcong, Peñarrubia, San Isidro, Daguioman, San Quintin, Dolores, Lagayan, Bangued, Bucay, Lacub)
- Northern and central portions of Ilocos Sur (Cabugao, Sinait, San Juan, San Emilio, Lidlidda, Banayoyo, Santiago, San Esteban, Burgos, Santa Maria, Magsingal, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Nagbukel, San Ildefonso, City of Vigan, Caoayan, Santa, Bantay, Santo Domingo, Narvacan, Quirino, Cervantes, Sigay, Salcedo, Santa Lucia, City of Candon, Galimuyod, Gregorio del Pilar, Santa Cruz)
TCWS No. 3 remains hoisted in the following provinces:
- Northern portion of Quirino (Diffun, Cabarroguis, Aglipay, Saguday, Maddela), the northeastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Diadi, Bagabag, Quezon, Solano, Villaverde, Kasibu, Ambaguio, Bayombong)
- Central portion of Isabela (Santo Tomas, Santa Maria, San Mariano, Ilagan City, Benito Soliven, San Guillermo, City of Cauayan, Gamu, Naguilian, Alicia, Angadanan, San Isidro, City of Santiago, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, Delfin Albano, Quirino, Burgos, Reina Mercedes, Luna, Cabagan, Tumauini, San Pablo, Quezon, Mallig, Roxas, San Manuel, Aurora, Cabatuan, San Mateo, Ramon, Cordon)
- Southwestern portion of Cagayan (Enrile, Solana, Tuao, Tuguegarao City, Rizal, Piat)
- Southern portion of Apayao (Conner, Kabugao)
- Rest of Abra
- Rest of Ifugao
- Northern portion of Benguet (Buguias, Mankayan, Bakun)
- Southern portion of Ilocos Norte (Laoag City, Sarrat, San Nicolas, Piddig, Marcos, Nueva Era, Dingras, Bacarra, Solsona, Paoay, Currimao, Pinili, Badoc, City of Batac, Banna)
- Rest of Ilocos Sur
Areas under TCWS No. 2 are the following:
- Northwestern and eastern portions of Cagayan (Iguig, Peñablanca, Baggao, Alcala, Amulung, Santo Niño, Gattaran, Lasam, Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Allacapan, Ballesteros, Lal-Lo, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Gonzaga)
- Rest of Isabela
- Rest of Nueva Vizcaya
- Rest of Quirino
- Rest of Apayao
- Rest of Benguet
- Rest of Ilocos Norte
- La Union
- Northeastern portion of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Natividad, San Quintin, Sison, San Manuel, Umingan, Tayug)
- Northern and central portions of Aurora (Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler, Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan)
- Northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Pantabangan, Lupao, San Jose City)
TCWS No. 1 is raised over the following areas:
- Babuyan Islands
- Rest of mainland Cagayan
- Rest of Pangasinan
- Rest of Aurora
- Rest of Nueva Ecija
Bulacan - Pampanga
- Tarlac
- Northern and central portions of Zambales (Santa Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig, Iba, Botolan, Cabangan, San Marcelino, San Felipe, San Narciso)
- Northeastern portion of Quezon (General Nakar) including Pollilo Islands
PAGASA also warns of torrential rains (exceeding 200 millimeters) in Aurora, Cagayan, Abra, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, and Apayao until Tuesday afternoon.
Intense rains (100–200 mm) are forecast in Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Ilocos Sur, and La Union, while heavy rains (50–100 mm) will be experienced in Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, and Pangasinan.
Areas outside of the Wind Signals will also experience strong to gale-force gusts today, such as Batanes, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Lubang Island, Marinduque, Romblon, Masbate, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes.
Meanwhile, the tropical depression being monitored outside PAR was located 780 km east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, moving west-northwestward at 20 kph.
“Pero ine-expect natin sa projection po natin, posible pa po itong lumakas sa mga susunod na araw bago po ito tuluyang lumapit sa landmass po natin,” De La Cruz-Galicia said.
—av