TROPICAL Storm Paeng (Nalgae) slightly intensified Friday afternoon, October 28, as it moved west northwest toward Northern Samar-Sorsogon-Albay area.
In its 5 p.m. Friday bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the eye of the storm was located at 180 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar as of 4 p.m. Friday.
The storm was packing maximum winds of 85 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center, gusts of up to 105 km/h, and central pressure of 990 hPa. It was moving west northwestward at 25 km/h.
Pagasa said Paeng was forecast to continue moving west northwestward until Sunday, October 30.
Based on the forecast track, the center of Paeng may make landfall or pass close to Northern Samar Friday night, October 28. Afterwards, it will traverse Bicol Region late evening Friday until Saturday morning, October 29.
“Between tomorrow afternoon and evening, the center of Paeng may make another landfall over the east coast of Quezon (including Polillo Islands). Considering the southward shift in the forecast track, the landfall scenario may change in the succeeding bulletins,” Pagasa said.
It added that Paeng was forecast to further intensify while moving over the warm waters of the Philippine Sea and may reach severe tropical storm category within 12 hours.
As of 5 p.m., Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) Number 2 was hoisted over Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including Ticao Island and Burias Islands, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Marinduque, Quezon including Pollilo Islands, the southern portion of Aurora (San Luis, Baler, Dingalan), the southeastern portion of Nueva Ecija (Gabaldon, General Tinio, City of Gapan, Cabiao, San Isidro, Pe), Laguna, Batangas, Cavite, Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, the eastern portion of Pampanga (Candaba, San Luis, San Simon, Apalit), the northern and central portions of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Baco, City of Calapan, Naujan, Victoria, Pola, Socorro, Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas), and Romblon in Luzon; and Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, and the northern portion of Leyte (San Isidro, Calubian, Tabango, Leyte, Capoocan, Carigara, Barugo, San Miguel, Babatngon, Tacloban City, Alangalang, Santa Fe, Palo, Tanauan, Dagami, Pastrana, Jaro, Kananga, Villaba, Tunga, Tabontabon, Tolosa) in the Visayas.
TCWS 1 was raised over the following areas:
Luzon
Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, the central and southern portions of Isabela (San Agustin, Jones, City of Santiago, Cordon, Echague, Dinapigue, San Mariano, San Guillermo, Angadanan, City of Cauayan, Benito Soliven, Ramon, San Isidro, Alicia, San Mateo, Cabatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Naguilian, Palanan, Aurora, Burgos, San Manuel, Gamu, Ilagan City, Divilacan, Roxas, Quirino, Mallig), Ifugao, Benguet, Mountain Province, the southern portion of Ilocos Sur (Sugpon, Cervantes, Alilem, Suyo, Tagudin, Santa Cruz, Sigay, Quirino, Gregorio del Pilar, Salcedo, Santa Lucia), La Union, Bataan, Tarlac, Zambales, Pangasinan, the rest of Aurora, the rest of Pampanga, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, the rest of Oriental Mindoro, Calamian Islands, Cuyo Islands, and the rest of Nueva Ecija
Visayas
Southern Leyte, Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands, Bohol, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Guimaras, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Siquijor, and the rest of Leyte
Mindanao
Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, the northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes, City of Tandag, Bayabas, Cagwait, San Miguel, Tago, Marihatag), Agusan del Norte, the northeastern portion of Agusan del Sur (Sibagat), Camiguin, and the eastern portion of Misamis Oriental (Gingoog City, Magsaysay, Medina, Talisayan, Balingoan, Kinoguitan)
Pagasa said that based on the latest track and intensity forecast, the highest wind signal that will likely be hoisted is Wind Signal 3 in anticipation of storm-force conditions associated with Paeng. (LMY)