MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm Ramon (international name
Kalmaegi)
– the 18th tropical cyclone in 2019
–
is projected to weaken into a low-pressure area while
Tropical Depression Sarah is seen to intensify into a Tropical Storm, state weather bureau PAGASA said Wednesday.
“[
S]a projection
po
natin in the next 24 hours,
posible
po na
maging LPA na
lamang
ito,” weather specialist
Loriedin De La Cruz said during PAGASA's 5:00 a.m. press briefing Wednesday.
"Yung movement
niya
ay pa-
timog
kanluran na ho
ito.
Magandang
balita
naman
dahil
kahit
papaano
po ay
gumagalaw na
itong si
Bagyong Ramon at 10 kilometers per hour.
”
(The good news is the storm
indicates a southwestern motion at around 10 kilometers per hour.)
The storm made landfall at Santa Ana in Cagayan around midnight and remains with dangerous gusts in the province as of Wednesday morning.
At 7 a.m.,
Ramon was located
in the vicinity of
in the vicinity of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 85 kph and gusts of up to 140 kph.
It is forecast to move southwest at 15 kph.
A gale warning is also issued in Zambales and Bataan.
"Ramon" began as a low-pressure area that was spotted east of the country after Tropical Storm
Quiel left the Philippine Area of Responsibility. It intensified into a tropical storm exactly a week ago.
Tropical cyclone warning signals are raised in the following areas:
Signal no. 2
- Batanes
- Cagayan including
Babuyan Islands
- Apayao
- Kalinga
- Abra
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
Signal no. 1
- Northern portion of Isabela
- Mountain Province
- Benguet
- Ifugao
- La Union
- Pangasinan
'Sarah' to strike soon
Meanwhile, Tropical Depression "Sarah" was last seen 750 kilometers east of Infanta, Quezon with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gusts of 70 kilometers per hour.
It is moving northwest at around 25 kilometers per hour.
De La Cruz said the tropical depression
is expected to strengthen and projected to make landfall at the northern tip of Luzon as the weekend approaches.
The eastern portion of Cagayan (Aparri, Baggao, Alcala, Gattaran, Lal-lo, Tuguegarao City, Penablanca, Iguig, Amulung, Santa Teresita, Camalaniugan, Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Buguey, Ballesteros and Calayan) and northeastern portion of Isabela (Divilacan, Tumauini, Cabagan, Maconacon and San Pablo) are under Signal No. 1 due to Sarah.