TYPHOON Jolina continued to move west northwest after making landfall in Almagro, Samar Tuesday morning, September 7, and was forecast to hit land again within the next 12 hours, this time in the vicinity of Masbate.
As of 7 a.m., the center of the typhoon was located over the coastal waters of Almagro, Samar, packing maximum winds of 120 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center, gusts of up to 150 km/h, and central pressure of 990 hPa.
It was moving west northwest at 15 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) in its 8 a.m. weather bulletin Tuesday.
The weather bureau said strong winds or higher extend outwards up to 180 kilometers from the center of Jolina.
The typhoon will make landfall in mainland Masbate or Ticao Island within the next 12 hours, said Pagasa.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) Number 3 has been hoisted over these areas:
* Luzon:
The northern and eastern portions of Masbate (Pio V. Corpuz, Palanas, Cataingan, Placer, Dimasalang, Uson, Cawayan, Esperanza, Mobo, Aroroy, Baleno, City of Masbate, Mandaon, Milagros) including Ticao and Burias Islands
* Visayas:
The extreme western portion of Northern Samar (San Vicente, Capul, San Isidro, San Antonio), the northern portion of Biliran (Kawayan, Maripipi, Almeria), and the northwestern portion of Samar (Santo Niño, Tagapul-An, Almagro, Calbayog City)
Destructive typhoon-force winds are likely to occur within any of the areas under TCWS 3, and this may bring generally moderate to heavy damage to structures and vegetation, Pagasa said.
Under TCWS 2 are: Albay, Sorsogon, the rest of Masbate, the western and southern portions of Camarines Sur (Del Gallego, Lupi, Ragay, Libmanan, Sipocot, Cabusao, Pasacao, Pamplona, Gainza, Camaligan, Canaman, Magarao, Bombon, Naga City, Pili, Ocampo, Iriga City, Sagñay, Buhi, Milaor, San Fernando, Minalabac, Bula, Nabua, Baao, Balatan, Bato, Calabanga), the western portion of Camarines Norte (Capalonga, Jose Panganiban, Labo, San Vicente, San Lorenzo Ruiz, Santa Elena), Marinduque, the southern portion of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Guinayangan, Buenavista, Mulanay, San Narciso, San Francisco, San Andres, Catanauan, Calauag, General Luna, Lopez, Macalelon, Perez, Alabat, Quezon, Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Agdangan, Unisan, Pitogo, Gumaca, Plaridel), and the eastern portion of Romblon (San Fernando, Magdiwang, Cajidiocan, Romblon, Banton, Corcuera) in Luzon; and the rest of Biliran, the western portion of Northern Samar (Silvino Lobos, Lope de Vega, Catarman, Bobon, San Jose, Rosario, Lavezares, Biri, Allen, Victoria, Mondragon), the rest of Samar, and the northern portion of Leyte (Calubian, San Isidro, Tabango, Leyte, Villaba, Matag-Ob, Kananga, Carigara, Jaro, Pastrana, Santa Fe, Tacloban City, Barugo, San Miguel, Alangalang, Tunga, Babatngon, Capoocan) in the Visayas.
Damaging gale-force to storm-force winds are likely to occur within any of the areas under TCWS 2 and this may bring generally light to moderate damage to structures and vegetation, Pagasa said.
Under TCWS 1 (Strong winds prevailing or expected within 36 hours) are Catanduanes, the rest of Camarines Sur, the rest of Camarines Norte, the rest of Quezon including Polillo Islands, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Rizal, Metro Manila, Bulacan, the rest of Romblon, and Oriental Mindoro in Luzon; and the rest of Northern Samar, the rest of Eastern Samar, the rest of Leyte, the northern portion of Southern Leyte (Silago, Bontoc, Sogod), the northern portion of Cebu (Carmen, Tuburan, Catmon, Sogod, Tabuelan, Borbon, Tabogon, San Remigio, City of Bogo, Medellin, Daanbantayan) including Camotes and Bantayan Islands, the northeastern portion of Iloilo (Concepcion, Sara, San Dionisio, Batad, Estancia, Carles, Balasan), the northern portion of Aklan (Malay, Nabas, Ibajay, Tangalan, Makato, Numancia, Lezo, New Washington, Kalibo, Batan, Altavas) and the northern portion of Capiz (Pilar, Panay, Roxas City, Sapi-An, Ivisan, Pontevedra, Panitan, President Roxas, Ma-Ayon) in the Visayas.
Pagasa said these areas under TCWS 1 will experience strong winds (strong breeze to near gale conditions) with occasional gusts, and this may result in up to very light damage to structures and vegetation.
Pagasa said that in the next 24 hours, Jolina may bring heavy to intense with at times torrential rains over Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Leyte, Biliran, Sorsogon, Albay, Romblon, and Masbate, while moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are likely over the southern portion of Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, and the rest of Bicol Region and Visayas.
In the next 24 hours, the threat of coastal inundation due to storm surge of up to 0.5-1.0 meters continues for several coastal localities of Biliran, Sorsogon, Samar, and Masbate, added the weather bureau.
“In addition, coastal areas of localities under TCWS, especially those at 2 and 3 may experience coastal flooding due to hazardous surf conditions,” it said.
Based on Jolina’s forecast track, the typhoon is expected to move northwestward toward Burias Island and the vicinity of Ragay Gulf before making another landfall in the vicinity of southeastern Quezon Tuesday night or early morning Wednesday, September 8.
Prolonged interaction with land may result in its weakening into a severe tropical storm, said Pagasa.
By Wednesday afternoon, Jolina will briefly emerge over Lopez Bay before making landfall in the vicinity of northern Quezon.
“Throughout the remainder of tomorrow and into Thursday morning, the tropical cyclone is forecast to cross Central Luzon (roughly to the east and north of Metro Manila). Frictional effects during its traverse of Luzon landmass will weaken Jolina down to tropical storm category,” the weather bulletin stated.
The typhoon was also forecast to emerge over the West Philippine Sea before noon on September 9 and it will continue to move west northwestward over the West Philippine Sea toward the southern China-northern Vietnam area. (LMY)