NORTHERN Samar and the northern portion of Eastern Samar were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TWCS) Number 2 as Opong intensified into a severe tropical storm while over the Philippine Sea Wednesday afternoon, September 24, 2025.
As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, the center of Opong was spotted at 670 kilometers east of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, packing maximum winds of 95 kilometers per hour (km/h), gusts of up to 115 km/h, and central pressure of 990 hPa.
It was moving west northwestward at 20 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
The weather bureau warned that strong to storm-force winds may extend outwards up to 450 kilometers from the center of Opong.
Northern Samar and the towns of San Policarpo, Oras, Jipapad, and Arteche in Eastern Samar were placed under TCWS 2, while Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate in Luzon, as well as Samar province, the rest of Eastern Samar, Biliran, and the northern portion of Leyte (Barugo, San Miguel, Babatngon, Tacloban City, Calubian, Leyte, Capoocan, Carigara, Palo) were placed under TCWS 1.
Pagasa said the highest wind signal that may be hoisted throughout the passage of Opong is TCWS 4.
It added that the Southwest Monsoon, both enhanced by Typhoon Nando and Opong, will bring strong to gale-force gusts over Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Quezon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Sarangani, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental.
Pagasa also warned of a moderate to high risk of life-threatening storm surge with peak heights reaching one to three meters within 24 hours over the low-lying or exposed coastal localities of Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, and Biliran.
It also stressed in its 5 p.m. Wednesday advisory that heavy rainfall, severe winds, and storm surge may still be experienced in localities outside the landfall point and the forecast confidence cone.
Pagasa said Opong was forecast to begin moving west northwestward while approaching Eastern Visayas-Southern Luzon area, adding that on the forecast track, Opong may make landfall over Bicol Region by Friday morning or afternoon, September 26, and cross southern Luzon throughout Friday.
“Afterwards, it will continue moving generally west northwestward over the West Philippine Sea and exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Saturday, September 27,” it said.
Opong was also forecast to continue to intensify while over the Philippine Sea and may reach typhoon category before making landfall over Bicol Region.
“It will then weaken as it crosses the archipelago, although it will likely remain as a typhoon or severe tropical storm during the passage. Re-intensification is highly likely once Opong emerges over the West Philippine Sea,” said the weather bureau. (LRM)