Tropical Storm Ramil (international name Fengshen) has slightly weakened over the coastal waters of Northern Samar, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Saturday.
As of 1 p.m., Ramil’s center was located over the coastal waters of Laoang, Northern Samar, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph, moving westward at 25 kph.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 is hoisted over the northern portion of Aurora (Casiguran, Dilasag, and Dinalungan); Polillo Islands; Camarines Norte; Catanduanes; the northern portion of Camarines Sur (Tinambac, Siruma, Goa, San Jose, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Caramoan, and Presentacion); the extreme eastern portion of Albay (Rapu-Rapu); the northeastern portion of Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz); and the northeastern portion of Northern Samar (Laoang, Palapag, Mapanas, Pambujan, San Roque, Mondragon, and Gamay).
Signal No. 1 is hoisted over Cagayan, including the Babuyan Islands; Isabela; Quirino; Nueva Vizcaya; Apayao; Abra; Kalinga; Mountain Province; Ifugao; Benguet; Ilocos Norte; Ilocos Sur; La Union; Pangasinan; the rest of Aurora; Nueva Ecija; the eastern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, Norzagaray, San Miguel, San Ildefonso, San Rafael, and Angat); the eastern portion of Tarlac (Camiling, San Clemente, Santa Ignacia, Paniqui, Moncada, San Manuel, Anao, Ramos, Pura, Victoria, City of Tarlac, La Paz, Concepcion, and Gerona); the eastern portion of Pampanga (Magalang, Arayat, and Candaba); the northern and eastern portions of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Perez, Alabat, Quezon, Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Unisan, Gumaca, Plaridel, Agdangan, Pagbilao, Mauban, Calauag, Guinayangan, Lopez, Pitogo, Macalelon, General Luna, Catanauan, San Narciso, Buenavista, San Francisco, San Andres, Mulanay, General Nakar, Infanta, Real, and Sampaloc); the rest of Camarines Sur; the rest of Albay; the rest of Sorsogon; Burias Island; and Ticao Island.
Signal No. 1 is also hoisted over the rest of Northern Samar; the northern portion of Eastern Samar (San Policarpo, Arteche, Oras, Dolores, Maslog, Jipapad, Taft, and Can-Avid); and the northern portion of Samar (Matuguinao, San Jose de Buan, Calbayog City, Gandara, Santa Margarita, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, TagapulAn, Almagro, Santo Niño, Tarangnan, Paranas, City of Catbalogan, Jiabong, and Motiong).
PAGASA said Ramil is starting to remain almost stationary off the coast of Northern Samar and will likely do so in the next several hours. Afterwards, it is forecast to move generally west-northwestward or northwestward.
Ramil may make landfall over Catanduanes on Saturday afternoon or evening, and over Camarines Sur in the evening or early morning on Sunday.
A slightly southward shift in the forecast track will result in a landfall over Albay or Sorsogon Saturday afternoon or evening.
On the forecast track, Ramil will continue moving west-northwestward over the landmass or coastal waters of the Bicol Region between Saturday night and Sunday morning.
Afterwards, it will pass close or over Polillo Islands on Sunday morning, then make a final landfall in the vicinity of Aurora on Sunday morning or afternoon.
The possibility of landfall over northern Quezon or southern Isabela instead of Aurora is also not ruled out based on the forecast confidence cone.
After making landfall in Aurora, Ramil will traverse the mountainous terrain of Northern Luzon and emerge over the coastal waters of Pangasinan or La Union Sunday evening.
It will exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Monday morning, according to PAGASA. *PNA