'Aghon' slightly strengthens over Quezon province

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm Aghon (international name: Ewiniar), the country's first cyclone this year, intensified while lingering over Quezon province, state weather bureau PAGASA said on Sunday.

The tropical storm was last located in the vicinity of Sariaya town, with peak winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 125 kph. It was heading northwestward, across mainland CALABARZON and Polillo Islands, at 10 kph.

Aghon has so far made eight landfalls, the latest in Lucena, Quezon province, early Sunday morning.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), four individuals in Bicol region were reportedly injured, and over 2,700 people were affected by Aghon.

PAGASA raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals over the following areas:

Signal No. 2 

Signal No. 2 (Winds between 62 kph and 88 kph) may be expected in at least 24 hours.

• Northern and central portions of Quezon (Alabat, Perez, Quezon, Gumaca, Lopez, Macalelon, General Luna, Unisan, Pitogo, Plaridel, Agdangan, Padre Burgos, Atimonan, Mauban, Real, General Nakar, Infanta, Sampaloc, Pagbilao, Calauag, Lucban, City of Tayabas, Lucena City, Tiaong, Candelaria, Sariaya, Dolores, San Antonio) including Polillo Islands
• Laguna
• Eastern portion of Batangas (City of Tanauan, San Jose, Lipa City, Mataasnakahoy, Balete, Malvar, Santo Tomas, Cuenca, San Pascual, Batangas City, Ibaan, Padre Garcia, Rosario, San Juan, Taysan, Lobo)
• Eastern portion of Rizal (Jala-Jala, Pililla, Tanay, Cardona, Binangonan, Morong, Baras)

Residents of areas under Signal No. 2 could experience minor to moderate impacts from strong winds.

Signal No. 1

Signal No. 1 (Winds between 39 and 61 kph may be expected in at least 36 hours or intermittent rains may be expected within 36 hours)

• Southeastern portion of Isabela (Palanan, Dinapigue)
• Southern portion of Quirino (Maddela, Nagtipunan)
• Southern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castaneda, Dupax del Sur, Dupax del Norte)
• Eastern and southern portions of Nueva Ecija (General Tinio, Gabaldon, Bongabon, Pantabangan, Rizal, General Mamerto Natividad, Laur, Palayan City, Peñaranda, San Leonardo, City of Gapan, Cabanatuan City, Santa Rosa, San Isidro, Cabiao, San Antonio, Jaen, Zaragoza, Aliaga, Talavera, Llanera)
• Southern portion of Bataan (Orani, Samal, City of Balanga, Abucay, Pilar, Orion, Limay, Mariveles, Bagac)
• Aurora
• Eastern portion of Pampanga (Candaba, San Luis, San Simon, Apalit, Santa Ana, Arayat, Mexico, Santa Rita, Guagua, Sasmuan, Macabebe, Masantol, Santo Tomas, Minalin, City of San Fernando, Bacolor, Lubao)
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila
• Rest of Quezon
• Rest of Rizal
• Cavite
• Rest of Batangas
• Northern and central portions of Oriental Mindoro (Pinamalayan, Pola, Naujan, Victoria, Socorro, City of Calapan, Bansud, Gloria, Baco, San Teodoro, Puerto Galera, Bongabong)
• Marinduque
• Extreme northern portion of Romblon (Concepcion, Corcuera, Banton)
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur

Residents of areas under Signal No. 1 could experience minimal to minor impacts from strong winds.

What to expect

PAGASA said that Aghon could bring rain of up to 200 millimeters over Quezon province, and between 100 and 200 mm over Aurora, eastern portion of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Metro Manila and Camarines Norte today.

Meanwhile, the eastern portion of Isabela, Nueva Ecija, the rest of Bulacan, the eastern portion of Pampanga, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, Burias Island, the western portion of Camarines Sur, Cuyo Islands, Aklan, and Antique will have 50 to 100 mm of rainfall.

The state weather bureau warned of higher rainfall in elevated or mountainous areas. This can lead to flooding and landslides, especially in areas susceptible to these hazards or places that have experienced recent heavy rain.

PAGASA also said that there is a minimal to moderate risk of storm surge over the exposed and low-lying coastal areas of Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, Mindoro provinces, Marinduque, Romblon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, western coast of Albay, Burias Island, northwest coast of mainland Masbate, and Aklan.

Sea travel is risky for small seacrafts, including all motor bancas, over the coastal waters of Marinduque and Quezon province, southern coastal waters of Batangas, and northern coastal waters of Camarines Norte.

Aghon's track

After crossing mainland CALABARZON and Polillo Islands, the tropical storm is expected to be over the waters off the east coast of Quezon province or Aurora this evening or early Monday.

During this time, Aghon will likely remain a tropical storm, although it could weaken to a tropical depression over mainland CALABARZON due to land interaction.

Starting Monday, Aghon will gradually accelerate northeastward while intensifying. It may reach severe tropical storm category by Monday.

"We are still not discounting the possibility of it passing through areas of Laguna, Rizal, the eastern side of Bulacan up to Aurora. Then it might also slightly turn towards the area of Polillo Islands and move away," PAGASA weather forecaster Benison Estareja said in Filipino.

Aghon is expected to become a typhoon by Tuesday afternoon or evening, and may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday.

Forecast position

• May 26, 2024 8:00 p.m. - Over the coastal waters of Infanta, Quezon
• May 27, 2024 8:00 a.m. - Over the coastal waters of Casiguran, Aurora
• May 27, 2024 8:00 p.m. - 220 km east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan
• May 28, 2024 8:00 a.m. - 415 km east of Calayan, Cagayan
• May 28, 2024 8:00 p.m. - 645 km east of Itbayat, Batanes
• May 29, 2024 8:00 a.m. - 1,045 km east northeast of extreme Northern Luzon
• May 30, 2024 8:00 a.m.  - 1,800 km east northeast of extreme Northern Luzon (outside PAR)

— Gaea Katreena Cabico