MORE areas in the Philippines have been placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) Number 1 as Tropical Depression Aghon maintained it strength while moving west northwestward Friday morning, May 24, 2024.
The center of the tropical depression was located at 240 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur as of 11 a.m. Friday, still with maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center, gusts of up to 55 km/h, and central pressure of 1006 hPa.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that strong winds may extend outwards up to 220 kilometers from the center of Aghon.
The weather bureau hoisted TCWS 1 in Sorsogon, Albay (Manito, Legazpi City, City of Tabaco, Rapu-Rapu, Santo Domingo, Malilipot, Bacacay, Malinao, Tiwi), Catanduanes and Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Garchitorena, Presentacion, Sagñay, San Jose, Lagonoy, Tigaon) in Luzon; Eastern Samar, Samar, Northern Samar, Leyte (Babatngon, Tacloban City, Palo, Tanauan, Tolosa, Dulag, Mayorga, Macarthur, Abuyog, Javier) and Southern Leyte (Silago, Hinunangan, Hinundayan, Anahawan, San Juan, Liloan, Saint Bernard, San Ricardo, Pintuyan, San Francisco) in the Visayas; and Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte including Siargao – Bucas Grande Group and Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes, City of Tandag) in Mindanao.
Pagasa said Aghon will bring 100 millimeters (mm) to 200 mm of rain in Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte, and Dinagat Islands; and 50-100 mm in Surigao del Sur, the rest of Eastern Visayas, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Catanduanes, and the eastern portion of Camarines Sur from Friday to Saturday noon, May 25.
It also said that Aghon will bring moderate to rough seas over the coastal waters along the northern and eastern seaboards of Eastern Visayas and the eastern seaboard of Caraga Region.
It advised mariners of motor bancas and similarly-sized vessels to take precautionary measures while venturing out to sea.
Pagasa said that Aghon was forecast to move generally west northwestward or northwestward from Friday until Saturday while slowly intensifying.
On the track forecast, the tropical depression was forecast to make a close approach or make landfall in the vicinity of Eastern Visayas Saturday morning as a tropical storm.
Afterwards, Aghon will pass north northwestward over Eastern Visayas, then emerge over the waters off the east coast of Bicol Region Saturday evening as a tropical storm.
On Sunday, Aghon will begin recurving generally northeastward or north northeastward over the waters east of Luzon while starting to continuously intensify, said Pagasa.
“Current forecast scenario shows intensification into a severe tropical storm by Sunday morning and into a typhoon by Tuesday,” it added. (LMY)
