MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami) intensified a bit and accelerated while over the sea east of Quezon early Wednesday, October 23.
Kristine’s maximum sustained winds increased from 75 kilometers per hour to 85 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in its 5 am bulletin on Wednesday.
The tropical storm’s gustiness is now up to 105 km/h from the previous 90 km/h.
It was located 340 kilometers east of Infanta, Quezon, or 180 kilometers north northeast of Virac, Catanduanes, as of 4 am on Wednesday.
Kristine is moving west northwest at a faster 25 km/h from 10 km/h.
It is still seen to gradually intensify into a severe tropical storm before making landfall in Isabela or the northern part of Aurora on Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning, October 24.
Afterwards, it may cross Northern Luzon’s mountainous terrain, where it might slightly weaken, then emerge over the waters west of the Ilocos Region on Thursday afternoon.
“Re-intensification may occur over the West Philippine Sea,” added PAGASA.
Here is PAGASA’s latest rainfall forecast for Kristine, also released at 5 am on Wednesday:
Wednesday, October 23
- Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 millimeters): Cagayan, Isabela, Apayao, Aurora, Quezon, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): rest of Cagayan Valley, rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Rizal, Albay, Sorsogon
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): rest of Central Luzon, rest of Calabarzon, Metro Manila, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Calamian Islands, Masbate, Northern Samar
Thursday, October 24
- Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 mm): Pangasinan, Zambales, La Union
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): rest of Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Bataan
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Tarlac, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro
Friday, October 25
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Pangasinan, Zambales, La Union
Affected areas should continue to watch out for floods and landslides.
Even more areas were placed under tropical cyclone wind signals at 5 am, as Kristine brings strong to gale-force winds.
Signal No. 2
Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- Pangasinan
- Apayao
- Abra
- Kalinga
- Mountain Province
- Ifugao
- Benguet
- mainland Cagayan
- Isabela
- Quirino
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Aurora
- Nueva Ecija
- Tarlac
- northern part of Zambales (Santa Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig)
- northern part of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Miguel, San Ildefonso)
- northern part of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta) including Polillo Islands
- Camarines Norte
- northern and eastern parts of Camarines Sur (Calabanga, Goa, Tigaon, Sagñay, San Jose, Lagonoy, Tinambac, Siruma, Garchitorena, Presentacion, Caramoan)
- Catanduanes
- eastern part of Albay (Rapu-Rapu, Bacacay, Tabaco City, Malilipot, Malinao, Tiwi, Manito, Santo Domingo)
- eastern part of Sorsogon (Barcelona, Gubat, Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon City)
- northeastern part of Northern Samar (Palapag, Mapanas, Gamay, Laoang, Catubig, Lapinig, Pambujan, San Roque)
- northern part of Eastern Samar (Jipapad, San Policarpo, Arteche)
Signal No. 1
Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property
- Batanes
- Babuyan Islands
- Pampanga
- rest of Zambales
- Bataan
- rest of Bulacan
- Metro Manila
- Rizal
- Cavite
- Laguna
- Batangas
- rest of Quezon
- Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands
- Oriental Mindoro
- Marinduque
- Romblon
- Calamian Islands
- rest of Camarines Sur
- rest of Albay
- rest of Sorsogon
- Masbate including Ticao Island and Burias Island
- Aklan
- Capiz
- Antique including Caluya Islands
- Iloilo
- Guimaras
- northern part of Negros Occidental (Pontevedra, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Bago City, La Carlota City, Valladolid, Pulupandan, Bacolod City, San Enrique, Murcia, Silay City, Talisay City, Enrique B. Magalona, Manapla, Victorias City, Cadiz City, Sagay City, Escalante City, Toboso, Calatrava, Salvador Benedicto, San Carlos City)
- northern part of Negros Oriental (Vallehermoso, Canlaon City, Guihulngan City)
- northern and central parts of Cebu (Alcantara, Argao, Dumanjug, Sibonga, Pinamungahan, Ronda, Liloan, Cebu City, Moalboal, Consolacion, Danao City, Borbon, Carmen, Daanbantayan, Tuburan, Bogo City, Tabogon, Naga City, Lapu-Lapu City, Carcar City, Mandaue City, Catmon, Minglanilla, Toledo City, Cordova, Compostela, San Remigio, Balamban, Aloguinsan, San Fernando, Asturias, Barili, Medellin, Sogod, Tabuelan, Talisay City) including Bantayan Islands and Camotes Islands
- Bohol
- rest of Eastern Samar
- rest of Northern Samar
- Samar
- Leyte
- Biliran
- Southern Leyte
- Dinagat Islands
- Surigao del Norte including Siargao-Bucas Grande Group
The highest tropical cyclone wind signal due to Kristine could be Signal No. 3.
“The wind flow coming towards the circulation” of the tropical storm and the northeasterly windflow are also bringing strong to gale-force gusts to these areas:
Wednesday, October 23
- Mimaropa, Visayas, Mindanao
Thursday, October 24
- Mimaropa, Bicol, Visayas, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Northern Mindanao, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental
Friday, October 25
- Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Negros Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi
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In addition, there is a moderate to significant risk of “life-threatening” storm surges in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Zambales, Aurora, and Catanduanes in the next 48 hours.
For coastal waters in the next 24 hours, PAGASA said up to high seas are expected in the seaboards of Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur (waves up to 8 meters high); seaboards of La Union, Pangasinan, Isabela, northern Aurora, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, as well as northern and eastern seaboards of Camarines Sur (waves up to 7 meters high); and remaining seaboard of Aurora, seaboards of Quezon including Polillo Islands, and seaboards of Northern Samar (waves up to 6 meters high). Travel is risky for all vessels.
Up to very rough seas are expected in the seaboards of Bataan, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Calamian Islands, Cuyo Islands, Cagayancillo Islands, Zamboanga del Norte, Camiguin, and Dinagat Islands, as well as remaining seaboards of Bicol and the Visayas (waves up to 5 meters high). Travel is likewise risky for all vessels.
Up to rough seas are seen in the seaboards of Northern Mindanao, Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Island Group, and Davao Oriental (waves up to 4 meters high), as well as Surigao del Sur and the remaining seaboards of Luzon (waves up to 3 meters high). Small vessels should not venture out to sea.
Up to moderate seas will persist in the remaining seaboards of Mindanao (waves up to 2.5 meters high). Small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible.
Kristine is the country’s 11th tropical cyclone for 2024 and the first for October. It may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Friday, October 25. – Rappler.com