TROPICAL Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 is raised over 12 areas in Luzon as Marce intensified into a typhoon on Tuesday morning, according to state weather bureau PAGASA.
In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the following areas are under TCWS No.1:
Batanes
Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
Isabela
Ilocos Norte
Apayao
Abra
Kalinga
Mountain Province
Ifugao
The northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Diadi, Bagabag, Ambaguio, Villaverde, Bayombong, Solano, Quezon, Kasibu)
The northern portion of Quirino (Diffun, Saguday, Cabarroguis, Aglipay, Maddela)
The northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan)
Marce was last spotted 590 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora moving west northwestward at 30 kilometers per hour (kph), PAGASA said.
The typhoon was packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph, it added.
PAGASA said Marce may make landfall in the vicinity of Babuyan Islands or over the northern portion of mainland Cagayan on Thursday evening or Friday early morning.
Due to uncertainty in the strength of the high pressure area north of Marce, PAGASA said the forecast track may still change and bring the landfall point to the mainland Cagayan-Isabela area.
