'Ursula' maintains strength as it inches towards Mindoro

ALBAY, Philippines — Typhoon Ursula maintains its strength as it continues to head towards Mindoro provinces, the state weather bureau said Wednesday.

In its 2:00 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA located “Ursula” at 70 kilometers southeast of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.

Moving west at a speed of 20 kph, "Ursula" packs maximum sustained winds 140 kilometers per hour, near the center and gustiness of up to 195 kph.

PAGASA warned of “very destructive winds and intense rainfall over Caluya Islands”. In the coming hours, the southern part of Mindoro provinces will be affected by the eyewall.

"In case of the passage of the eye in some of the aforementioned areas, calm conditions will be experienced. However, as soon as the eye moves out of the area, violent conditions associated with the eyewall will resume," PAGASA said.

Occasional to frequent heavy with intermittent intense rains are expected over Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Romblon, Calamian Islands, Cuyo Islands and Mindoro provinces until Wednesday night.

Light to moderate rains with isolated heavy rainshowers during thunderstorms, meanwhile, are expected over Bicol Region, rest of Western Visayas, CALABARZON, Metro Manila, Marinduque, Aurora and the northern parr of mainland Palawan.

The state weather bureau also said that there is possible storm surge of up to two meters in height in southern Masbate, Aklan, Capiz, northern Antique, northeastern Iloilo, Romblon, Marinduque and Mindoro provinces, Calamian Islands and Cuyo Islands in the next 24 hours.

Wind signals over Sorsogon and northern Cebu were already lifted.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals

Signal No. 3 (Luzon)

• Romblon
• southern Oriental Mindoro (Roxas
• Mansalay
• Bulalacao
• Bongabong
• Bansud
• Pola
• Socorro
• Pinamalayan
• Gloria)
• southern Occidental Mindoro (Calintaan
• Rizal
• San Jose
• Magsaysay
• southern portion of Sablayan)
• and Calamian Islands (Busuanga
• Coron
• Culion)

Signal No. 2 (Luzon)

• Batangas
• Marinduque
• the rest of Oriental Mindoro
• the rest of Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island
• Cuyo Islands
• and extreme northern portion of mainland Palawan (Linapacan
• El Nido
• Taytay
• Araceli)

Signal No. 2 (Visayas)

• Capiz
• Aklan
• and northern Antique (Caluya
• Libertad
• Pandan
• Sebaste
• Culasi
• Tibiao
• Barbaza
• Laua-an)

Signal No. 1 (Luzon)

• Bataan
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• Cavite
• Laguna
• the rest northern mainland Palawan (Dumaran
• San Vicente
• Roxas)
• Cagayancillo Islands
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Quezon
• Albay
• and Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands

Signal No. 1 (Visayas)

• Northern Negros Occidental (Hinigaran
• La Castellana
• Pontevedra
• La Carlota
• San Enrique
• Valladolid
• Pulupandan
• Bago
• Murcia
• Bacolod
• Talisay
• Salvador Benedicto
• Silay
• Enrique B. Magalona
• Victorias
• Manapla
• Cadiz
• Sagay
• Escalante
• Toboso
• Calatrava)
• Iloilo
• Guimaras
• and the rest of Antique

Pagasa reminded residents in areas that will be affected by “Ursula” to take appropriate actions, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices and continue monitoring updates.

It also said that sea travel is deemed risky, especially for small seacrafts in areas with tropical cyclone wind signals and the seaboards of Aurora, and the northern and eastern seaboards of Mindanao due to forecast rough sea conditions.

"Ursula" is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility on Friday.

Forecast position

• 24 hour (Thursday morning): 285 km west northwest of Coron, Palawan
• 48 hour (Friday morning): 500 km west southwest of Subic, Zambales
• 72 hour (Saturday morning): 740 km west of Subic, Zambales (outside PAR)
• 96 hour (Sunday morning): 1,015 km West of Subic, Zambales (outside PAR)