By Brian Campued
Tropical Depression Mirasol continues to traverse Northern Luzon and may intensify into a tropical storm by Wednesday night or early Thursday, according to the state weather bureau.
In its tropical cyclone bulletin issued at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said “Mirasol” was last located in the vicinity of Alfonso Lista, Ifugao.
It packs maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph, while moving northwestward at 15 kph.
Mirasol earlier made landfall over Casiguran, Aurora at 3:20 a.m.
Strong winds will prevail in areas under the Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1, including:
- Batanes
- Cagayan, including Babuyan Islands
- Isabela
- Quirino
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Baler, Maria Aurora)
- Apayao
- Abra
- Kalinga
- Mountain Province
- Ifugao
- Benguet
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- Northeastern portion of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Natividad, San Manuel, Sison, San Quintin, Tayug)
- Northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Pantabangan)
Based on PAGASA’s track forecast, Mirasol will move north-northwestward over the Northern Luzon landmass within the next 12 hours and will re-emerge over the Luzon Strait Wednesday afternoon or evening.
“Once it is over the Luzon Strait, it is forecast to intensify and may reach tropical storm category tonight or tomorrow early morning” before exiting the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), the state weather bureau said.
“With this intensification, hoisting of Wind Signal No. 2 is possible over some portions of Northern Luzon,” it added.
In terms of heavy rainfall, Mirasol will bring heavy to intense rains over Cagayan and Isabela until Thursday noon, Sept. 18, while moderate to heavy rains are expected in Aurora, Quirino, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Abra, Benguet, and Nueva Vizcaya.
No gale warning has been issued, but mariners of motorbancas and small vessels are advised to take precautionary measures while venturing out to the sea, particularly on the seaboards of mainland Cagayan, Isabela, Babuyan Islands, Batanes, Aurora, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur as they may experience up to moderate to rough sea conditions.
Meanwhile, the low pressure area outside the PAR has developed into a tropical depression and was last located 1,265 km east of Southern Luzon. It is moving west-northwestward at 10 kph, with winds of 45 kph and gusts of up to 55 kph.
In a separate bulletin, PAGASA said the tropical cyclone will enter the PAR “between late evening today and tomorrow morning” and will be given the local name “Nando”.
“The tropical depression outside PAR is less likely to directly affect the weather and sea condition in the next 48 hours,” the agency said, however, TCWS No. 1 may be raised over Northern Luzon as early as Saturday, Sept. 20.
-jpv
