Tropical Storm Ada continues to affect large parts of the country, bringing strong winds and heavy rains to areas under Wind Signal No. 1, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Friday.
The storm has maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour near its center, with gusts reaching up to 80 kilometers per hour. As of 4 a.m., Ada was located 370 kilometers east of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, or 430 kilometers east of Maasin City, Southern Leyte, and is moving slowly north-northwest.
Wind Signal No. 1 remains hoisted over parts of Luzon, including Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, and portions of Masbate; several areas in the Visayas such as Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, most of Leyte, and eastern Southern Leyte; and parts of Mindanao, including Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur.
PAGASA said the northeast monsoon, combined with Ada’s outer circulation, will bring strong to gale-force gusts over Batanes, the Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, eastern Isabela, Aurora, CALABARZON, Mindoro provinces, Romblon, Marinduque, the Cuyo Islands, the Bicol Region, the Visayas, and CARAGA.
Heavy rainfall is forecast over Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and Agusan del Norte.
Rough sea conditions are also expected across several eastern and northern seaboards, prompting PAGASA to warn mariners of small seacraft, including motorbancas, against going to sea.
The weather bureau said Ada may pass close to Eastern Samar and Northern Samar on Saturday, and near Catanduanes on Sunday. A westward shift in its track could still bring a possible landfall over Eastern Visayas or the Bicol Region.