By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
After Super Typhoon Nando (international name: Ragasa) exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) earlier Tuesday, Tropical Depression Opong entered at 4:00 p.m., according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration’s (PAGASA) 5:00 p.m. bulletin.
Opong was last located 1,045 km east of northeastern Mindanao, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h and gustiness of up to 70 km/h, as it moves west-southwestward at 10 km/h.
While Super Typhoon Ragasa has already left PAR, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 remains hoisted over the following areas:
Batanes
Cagayan
Northern portion of Isabela (San Manuel, Roxas, Mallig, Quezon, Santa Maria, Cabagan, Santo Tomas, Delfin Albano, Quirino, Tumauini, San Pablo, Maconacon)
Apayao
Abra
Kalinga
Mountain Province
Ifugao
Benguet
Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Sur
La Union
Northwestern portion of Pangasinan (Bolinao, Anda, Agno, Dasol, Sual, Burgos, City of Alaminos, Bani, Mabini)
The state weather bureau, meanwhile, noted that Opong may bring moderate to rough seas over the coastal waters of Eastern Visayas and northeastern Mindanao and may prompt the issuance of a gale warning advisory over Eastern Visayas and Bicol Region on Thursday.
The weather system is also expected to continue its southwestward movement over the next 24 hours, possibly intensifying into the severe tropical storm category before changing course and turning westward to west-northwestward as it approaches the Eastern Visayas–Southern Luzon area.
PAGASA notes that Opong may pass close or make landfall over Northern Samar Friday morning and is expected to cross the Southern Luzon Area on Friday evening or Saturday morning.
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