MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Nika (Toraji) made landfall in Dilasag, Aurora, at 8:10 am on Monday, November 11, and began crossing Northern Luzon.
As of 10 am on Monday, Nika was already in the vicinity of San Agustin, Isabela, moving northwest at a faster 25 kilometers per hour from the previous 15 km/h.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a press conference past 11 am that the typhoon continues to have maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h and gustiness of up to 180 km/h.
It is expected to weaken into a severe tropical storm while crossing landmass, but would still bring hazards.
After crossing land, Nika will emerge over the sea west of Ilocos Sur on Monday afternoon or evening, then move over the West Philippine Sea and leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Tuesday morning or afternoon, November 12.
The following areas remain under tropical cyclone wind signals as of 11 am on Monday:
Signal No. 4
Typhoon-force winds (118 to 184 km/h), significant to severe threat to life and property
- northernmost part of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran)
- central and southern parts of Isabela (Dinapigue, San Mariano, San Guillermo, Jones, Echague, Ramon, San Isidro, Santiago City, Cordon, Roxas, Burgos, Reina Mercedes, Naguilian, Benito Soliven, Gamu, San Manuel, Aurora, San Mateo, Cabatuan, Alicia, Luna, Cauayan City, Angadanan, Quezon, Mallig, Quirino, Ilagan City, Delfin Albano, San Agustin)
- Kalinga
- Mountain Province
- northern part of Ifugao (Aguinaldo, Mayoyao, Alfonso Lista, Banaue, Hungduan, Hingyon, Lagawe)
- central and southern parts of Abra (Manabo, Pidigan, San Juan, Tayum, Langiden, Luba, Boliney, Sallapadan, Bucloc, Lagangilang, Tubo, Danglas, Villaviciosa, La Paz, Licuan-Baay, Pilar, Malibcong, Peñarrubia, San Isidro, Daguioman, San Quintin, Dolores, Lagayan, Bangued, Bucay, Lacub)
- northern and central parts of Ilocos Sur (Cabugao, Sinait, San Juan, San Emilio, Lidlidda, Banayoyo, Santiago, San Esteban, Burgos, Santa Maria, Magsingal, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Nagbukel, San Ildefonso, Vigan City, Caoayan, Santa, Bantay, Santo Domingo, Narvacan, Quirino, Cervantes, Sigay, Salcedo, Santa Lucia, Candon City, Galimuyod, Gregorio del Pilar, Santa Cruz)
Signal No. 3
Storm-force winds (89 to 117 km/h), moderate to significant threat to life and property
- central part of Aurora (Dinalungan)
- northern part of Quirino (Diffun, Cabarroguis, Aglipay, Saguday, Maddela)
- northeastern part of Nueva Vizcaya (Diadi, Bagabag, Quezon, Solano, Villaverde, Kasibu, Ambaguio, Bayombong)
- rest of Isabela
- southwestern part of Cagayan (Enrile, Solana, Tuao, Tuguegarao City, Rizal, Piat)
- southern part of Apayao (Conner, Kabugao)
- rest of Abra
- rest of Ifugao
- northern part of Benguet (Buguias, Mankayan, Bakun)
- southern part of Ilocos Norte (Laoag City, Sarrat, San Nicolas, Piddig, Marcos, Nueva Era, Dingras, Bacarra, Solsona, Paoay, Currimao, Pinili, Badoc, Batac City, Banna)
- rest of Ilocos Sur
Signal No. 2
Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property
- northwestern and eastern parts of Cagayan (Iguig, Peñablanca, Baggao, Alcala, Amulung, Santo Niño, Gattaran, Lasam, Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Allacapan, Ballesteros, Lal-lo, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Gonzaga)
- rest of Nueva Vizcaya
- rest of Quirino
- rest of Apayao
- rest of Benguet
- rest of Ilocos Norte
- La Union
- northeastern part of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Natividad, San Quintin, Sison, San Manuel, Umingan, Tayug)
- central part of Aurora (Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler)
- northern part of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Pantabangan, Lupao, San Jose City)
Signal No. 1
Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property
- Babuyan Islands
- rest of mainland Cagayan
- rest of Pangasinan
- rest of Aurora
- rest of Nueva Ecija
- Bulacan
- Pampanga
- Tarlac
- northern and central parts of Zambales (Santa Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig, Iba, Botolan, Cabangan, San Marcelino, San Felipe, San Narciso)
- Metro Manila
- Rizal
- eastern part of Laguna (Santa Maria, Mabitac, Pakil, Pangil, Famy, Siniloan, Paete, Kalayaan, Cavinti, Lumban, Luisiana, Santa Cruz, Magdalena, Pagsanjan, Pila)
- northern and eastern parts of Quezon (Infanta, Sampaloc, Mauban, Real, General Nakar) including Polillo Islands
The northeasterly windflow is bringing strong to gale-force gusts to these areas, too:
Monday, November 11
- Batanes, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Lubang Island, Marinduque, Romblon, Masbate, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes
Tuesday, November 12
- Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela
Aside from fierce winds, Nika continues to trigger moderate to torrential rain in parts of Luzon. As the typhoon moves over land, floods and landslides remain likely.
Monday noon, November 11, to Tuesday noon, November 12
- Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 millimeters): Aurora, Isabela, Cagayan, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, Apayao
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Abra, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Quezon, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pangasinan
Tuesday noon, November 12, to Wednesday noon, November 13
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Ilocos Norte
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Ilocos Sur, Apayao, Abra
In addition, there is a moderate to high risk of storm surges in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Zambales, Aurora, Quezon including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, and Camarines Sur within 48 hours.
For sea conditions in the next 24 hours, the weather bureau maintained the following outlook:
Up to very rough or high seas (travel is risky for all vessels)
- Seaboards of Isabela and northern Aurora – waves up to 8 meters high
- Remaining seaboard of Aurora; eastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan – waves up to 5.5 meters high
- Seaboards of Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur – waves up to 5 meters high
- Northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands; seaboard of Camarines Norte; northern seaboards of Camarines Sur and Catanduanes – waves up to 4.5 meters high
Up to rough seas (small vessels should not venture out to sea)
- Seaboard of Babuyan Islands; northern seaboard of mainland Cagayan – waves up to 4 meters high
- Seaboard of Batanes; remaining seaboards of Ilocos Region – waves up to 3.5 meters high
- Eastern seaboards of mainland Quezon; remaining seaboard of Polillo Islands; eastern seaboard of Catanduanes – waves up to 3 meters high
Up to moderate seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible)
- Seaboard of Zambales; eastern seaboards of Albay and Sorsogon – waves up to 2.5 meters high
- Northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar; eastern seaboard of Eastern Samar; seaboard of Kalayaan Islands – waves up to 2 meters high
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Nika is the Philippines’ 14th tropical cyclone for 2024, and the second for November, coming immediately after Typhoon Marce (Yinxing), which battered Northern Luzon. Marce has since weakened into a tropical storm outside PAR.
While Nika may exit PAR by Tuesday morning or afternoon, a new tropical cyclone may enter PAR also on Tuesday morning — the potential Ofel. Story on the incoming tropical cyclone to follow here. – Rappler.com