SEVERE Tropical Storm Opong has maintained its strength as it moves closer to the Philippines, prompting PAGASA to raise Signal No. 2 in more areas as of its 11 am advisory on Thursday.
Areas under Signal No. 2 include Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, the northern portion of Masbate (including Ticao and Burias Islands), Northern Samar, the northern and central portions of Eastern Samar, the northern and central portions of Samar, and the northern portion of Biliran. Signal No. 1 has been raised in a wider area, including portions of Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, Romblon, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Calamian Islands, the rest of Masbate, the rest of Eastern Samar, the rest of Samar, the rest of Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, the northern portion of Cebu (including Camotes and Bantayan Islands), the northern portion of Negros Occidental, the northern portion of Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, the northern portion of Antique, Siargao Island, Bucas Grande Islands, and Dinagat Islands.
As of the latest tracking, Opong was located 335 km East of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 135 km/h, and a central pressure of 980 hPa. PAGASA forecasts that Opong will continue to intensify and may reach typhoon category before making landfall over the Bicol Region. The Southwest Monsoon, enhanced by Nando and Opong, will bring strong to gale-force gusts over Ilocos Region, Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Zambales, Bataan, Palawan, Visayas (areas not under Wind Signal), Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Caraga (areas not under Wind Signal), Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental. Opong is expected to move west northwestward, potentially passing close to Northern Samar or making landfall over the Bicol Region by Friday morning or early afternoon, and is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday afternoon or evening.
