MANILA, Philippines — The state weather bureau on Wednesday, December 18, raised tropical cyclone signal no. (TCWS) 1 as Tropical Depression "Querubin" moves northwestwards.
Querubin, combined with the shear line, is set to bring heavy or intense rains in several areas in Visayas and Mindanao.
Related Stories
Querubin currently has maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kilometers per hour.
As of PAGASA’s 11 a.m. advisory, only Surigao del Sur is under TCWS No. 1. The state weather bureau warned residents from affected areas of stronger than usual winds, with light damage to structures possible.
“The people are advised to listen to the latest severe weather bulletin issued by PAGASA every six hours. In the meantime, business may be carried out as usual except when flood occur,” PAGASA said in a statement.
Querubin is set to keep moving north northeastward over Mindanao waters for the next 24 hours. It may weaken back into a low-pressure area (LPA) within the day.
From December 19 to December 22, the remnant of Querubin’s LPA will traverse Mindanao, Sulu Sea and Palawan.
“Although a weakening scenario is expected, possible re-development into a tropical depression may occur once the remnant low of Querubin reaches the West Philippine Sea,” PAGASA said.
Querubin is the first tropical cyclone within the country’s area of responsibility since six consecutive cyclones hit the country from October and November.
PAGASA warned of high waves in several coastal areas as well as in other parts of the country:
- Up to 4.5 meters: The seaboards of Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, and the northern seaboard of Ilocos Norte
- Up to 4.0 meters: The seaboards of Isabela. Aurora. Quezon including Polillo Islands, the eastern seaboards of Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, Albay, and Sorsogon
- Up to 3.5 meters: The western seaboard of Ilocos Norte, the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar; and Eastern Samar
- Up to 3.0 meters: The remaining seaboards of Ilocos Region; the seaboards of Kalayaan Islands; the eastern seaboards of Dinagat Islands and Siargao Islands.
- Up to 2.5 meters: The eastern seaboard of Camarines Sur and Davao Oriental; the western seaboard of mainland Palawan; the seaboards of Surigao del Sur and Cuyo Islands.
- Up to 2.0 meters: The western seaboards of Zambales, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, and Aklan; the remaining seaboard of Quezon; the seaboards of Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, and Antique; the southeastern seaboard of Batangas; the northern and western seaboards of Romblon.