MODERATE to heavy rains will continue to prevail over Caraga, Eastern Visayas, Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, and Camiguin Sunday, February 21, 2021, as Tropical Storm Auring (Dujuan) remains almost stationary near Surigao del Sur.
Light to moderate and, at times, heavy rains are also forecast Sunday over Zamboanga Peninsula, Bicol Region, Mimaropa, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Quezon, and the rest of Visayas and Northern Mindanao.
At 10 a.m. Sunday, it was spotted at 335 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) forecast the storm to continue moving generally west-northwestward to northwestward in the next 48 hours.
In the next 24 hours, the combined effects of the surge of the northeast monsoon and Tropical Storm Auring will bring gale-force winds in areas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) no. 2.
Strong breeze to near-gale conditions with occasionally higher gusts are seen over the areas where TCWS no. 1 is in effect, as well as over Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Aurora, and the rest of Visayas and Bicol Region.
Areas under TCWS no. 2 (61-120 kph winds prevailing or expected in 24 hours)
- Visayas
Central and southern portions of Eastern Samar (Sulat, Taft, San Julian, Borongan City, Maydolong, Balangkayan, Balangiga, Lawaan, Llorente, Hernani, General Macarthur, Quinapondan, Giporlos, Salcedo, Mercedes, Guiuan)
- Mindanao
Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands
Areas under TCWS no. 1 (30-60 kph winds prevailing or expected in 36 hours)
- Luzon
Sorsogon, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Albay, Catanduanes, and the eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Presentacion, Sagnay, Buhi, Iriga City, Nabua, Bato, Balatan)
- Visayas
Northern Samar, the rest of Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, the northern and central portions of Negros Occidental (Kabankalan City, Himamaylan City, Binalbagan, Isabela, Moises Padilla, Hinigaran, La Castellana, Pontevedra, San Enrique, La Carlota City, Pulupandan, Valladolid, Bago City, Murcia, Bacolod City, Talisay City, Silay City, Enrique B. Magalona, Victorias City, Manapla, Cadiz City, Sagay City, Escalante City, Toboso, Calatrava, San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto), the eastern portion of Iloilo (San Rafael, Barotac Viejo, Lemery, Ajuy, Sara, Concepcion, San Dionisio, Batad, Estancia, Balasan, Carles), and the eastern portion of Capiz (Roxas City, Panitan, Ma-Ayon, Cuartero, Dumarao, Panay, Pontevedra, President Roxas, Pilar)
- Mindanao
Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao City, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, and Bukidnon
Sea travel is risky for all types of sea vessels over the following waters.
Rough to very rough seas will be experienced over the seaboards of areas under TCWS, with waves reaching 2.6 to 5.0 meters), and the eastern seaboard of Luzon not under TCWS (2.6 to 4.5 m) in the next 24 hours.
Rough seas (2.5 to 4.0 m) will prevail over the southern seaboard of Luzon (including the eastern seaboard of Palawan), the remaining seaboards of Visayas, and the northern, eastern, and western seaboards of Mindanao that are not under any TCWS.
Moderate to rough seas (1.2 to 3.0 m) will be experienced over the remaining seaboards of the country. Mariners of small seacraft are advised to take precautionary measures and inexperienced mariners should avoid going out to sea.
The storm was forecast to make its first landfall over the Dinagat Islands-Eastern Samar (southern portion including Homonhon Island)-Leyte area between Sunday night and early Monday morning, February 22.
Pagasa said there is an increasing likelihood that the storm will weaken into a tropical depression before it makes landfall due to persistent high vertical wind shear associated with the surge of the northeast monsoon.
The weather bureau, however, has not ruled out the possibility that the storm will maintain its strength until landfall.
“After landfall, Auring is forecast to weaken considerably due to significant terrain interaction and the increasing wind shear, leading to deterioration into a remnant low within 48 hours, possibly sooner,” Pagasa added. (MVI / SunStar Philippines)