(Eagle News)–Typhoon “Ulysses,” with international name “Vamco,” has continued to intensify as it threatened the Quezon-Aurora area on Wednesday afternoon.
In its 5 p.m. update, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Signal No. 3 is in effect over the southern portion of Quirino (Maddela, Nagtipunan), the southern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castaneda, Dupax Del Norte, Dupax Del Sur), Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, the northern and central portions of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta, Real, Mauban, Sampaloc, Lucban, Tayabas City, Sariaya, Candelaria, Dolores, Tiaong, San Antonio, Lucena City, Pagbilao, Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Unisan, Agdangan, Gumaca, Plaridel, Pitogo, Macalelon, Lopez, General Luna, Catanauan, Buenavista, Guinayangan, Tagkawayan, Calauag, Quezon, Alabat, Perez) including Polillo Islands, Batangas, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, the northern portion of Camarines Sur (Del Gallego, Ragay, Lupi, Sipocot, Cabusao, Bombon, Calabanga, Tinambac, Siruma, Goa, Lagonoy, San Jose, Garchitorena, Presentacion, Caramoan) with “Ulysses” located 60 km east northeast of Daet, Camarines Norte.
It is packing maximum sustained winds of 140 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 195 kph.
It is moving west at 20 kph.
According to PAGASA, Signal No. 2 is raised over the rest of Quirino, the rest of Nueva Vizcaya, the southern portion of Benguet (Bokod, Itogon, Tublay, La Trinidad, Sablan, Baguio City, Tuba), the southern portion of La Union (Burgos, Naguilian, Bauang, Caba, Aringay, Tubao, Pugo, Santo Tomas, Rosario, Agoo), the rest of Quezon, Marinduque, the northern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Paluan, Abra de Ilog) including Lubang Island, the northern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Pola, Victoria, Naujan, Baco, Calapan City, San Teodoro, Puerto Galera), the rest of Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, and Burias and Ticao Islands.
Signal No. 1, on the other hand, is in effect over Isabela, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, the rest of Benguet, Abra, Ilocos Sur, the rest of La Union, the rest of Occidental Mindoro, the rest of Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, and the rest of Masbate Northern Samar, the northern portion of Samar (Santo Nino, Almagro, Tagapul-An, Tarangnan, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, Gandara, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao), and the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Maslog, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpo, Arteche, Jipapad).
The weather bureau said the center of “Ulysses” is forecast to make landfall over or make a close approach to the vicinity of Calaguas Islands within three hours, and then over Polillo Islands and mainland Quezon between tonight and tomorrow early morning.
It is expected to intensify further prior to the landfall or the close approach.
Between tonight and early tomorrow morning, PAGASA said heavy to intense with at times torrential rains are forecast over Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, Aurora, Bulacan, Pampanga, and Bataan.
Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are expected over Cordillera Administrative Region, mainland Cagayan Valley, Catanduanes, Marinduque, the northern portion of Mindoro Provinces, and the rest of Central Luzon.
Light to moderate with at times heavy rains, on the other hand, are expected over the rest of Luzon and Visayas.
PAGASA said there may be storm surges over the coastal areas of Aurora, Quezon including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, and the northern and eastern coastal areas of Camarines Sur, over the coastal areas of La Union, Pangasinan, Isabela, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, northern portions of Mindoro Provinces including Lubang Island, Marinduque, Romblon, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Albay, and Sorsogon, and the remaining coastal areas of Camarines Sur.
There is also a moderate risk of a seiche or a storm surge over the coastal areas surrounding Laguna de Bay, the weather bureau said.
Rough to very high seas will be experienced over the seaboards of areas under storm signals and the eastern seaboard of Eastern Samar in 24 hours.
PAGASA said the northeast monsoon will also bring rough to high seas over the remaining seaboards of Northern Luzon and rough seas over the seaboards of Kalayaan Islands.
Moderate to rough seas will be experienced over the western seaboards of Palawan including Calamian Islands, and the eastern seaboards of Mindanao.