MANILA, Philippines – The municipalities of Santa Ana and Gonzaga in the province of Cagayan were placed under Signal No. 2 due to Typhoon Marce (Yinxing) on Tuesday evening, November 5.
Marce was already 395 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, or 415 kilometers east northeast of Echague, Isabela, as of 10 pm on Tuesday. But it slowed down further, moving west northwest at 15 kilometers per hour from the previous 25 km/h.
Marce continued to intensify, with its maximum sustained winds increasing from 130 km/h to 140 km/h. Its gustiness is now up to 170 km/h from 160 km/h.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a briefing past 11 pm on Tuesday that the typhoon is likely to strengthen further and reach its peak intensity before it hits land.
Prior to landfall, Marce is expected to keep moving generally west northwest until Wednesday, November 6, before slowing down and turning west over the Philippine Sea east of extreme Northern Luzon.
Then the typhoon might make landfall in Babuyan Islands or the northern part of mainland Cagayan — or just pass close to these areas — on Thursday afternoon or evening, November 7.
Here are all the areas under tropical cyclone wind signals as of 11 pm on Tuesday:
Signal No. 2
Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property
- northeastern part of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga)
Signal No. 1
Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property
- Batanes
- rest of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- Apayao
- Abra
- Kalinga
- Mountain Province
- Ifugao
- northern part of Benguet (Mankayan, Buguias, Kabayan, Bakun, Kibungan, Atok, Bokod)
- Isabela
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Quirino
- northern part of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Baler, Maria Aurora)
The highest possible wind signal due to Marce is Signal No. 4.
The northeasterly windflow is bringing strong to gale-force gusts to the following areas as well:
Wednesday, November 6
- Ilocos Region, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes
Thursday, November 7
- Aurora, Zambales, Quezon, Catanduanes
Friday, November 8
- Isabela, Aurora, Zambales
PAGASA also updated its rainfall forecast for Marce, now warning Isabela and Aurora — aside from Cagayan — to expect moderate to heavy rain in the next 24 hours. Floods and landslides are likely.
Tuesday evening, November 5, to Wednesday evening, November 6
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 millimeters): Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora
Wednesday evening, November 6, to Thursday evening, November 7
- Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 mm): Cagayan
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Batanes
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Isabela, Abra, Ilocos Sur, Kalinga, Mountain Province
Thursday evening, November 7, to Friday evening, November 8
- Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 mm): Cagayan, Ilocos Norte
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Apayao, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Batanes
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Isabela, Kalinga, La Union, Benguet, Mountain Province
In addition, the weather bureau said there is a moderate to high risk of “life-threatening” storm surges “reaching 2 to 3 meters above normal tide levels” in Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, and Ilocos Norte in the next 48 hours.
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In the next 24 hours, these are the expected sea conditions:
Up to very rough or high seas (travel is risky for all vessels)
- Seaboard of northeastern mainland Cagayan – waves up to 8 meters high
- Seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands – waves up to 7 meters high
- Remaining seaboard of mainland Cagayan; seaboards of Ilocos Norte and Isabela – waves up to 6 meters high
- Seaboards of Ilocos Sur – waves up to 5 meters high
- Remaining seaboard of Ilocos Region – waves up to 4.5 meters high
Up to rough seas (small vessels should not venture out to sea)
- Seaboard of northern Aurora – waves up to 4 meters high
- Remaining seaboard of Aurora; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands – waves up to 3.5 meters high
- Seaboard of Camarines Norte; northern seaboard of Camarines Sur; northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes; western seaboard of Zambales – waves up to 3 meters high
Up to moderate seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible)
- Eastern seaboards of Albay and Sorsogon; northern seaboard of Northern Samar – waves up to 2.5 meters high
- Western seaboards of Bataan, Lubang Islands, and Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands; eastern seaboards of Camarines Sur, Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Sur, and Davao Oriental – waves up to 2 meters high
Marce is the Philippines’ 13th tropical cyclone for 2024, and the first for November. It could leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday evening, November 8.
PAGASA previously estimated that one or two tropical cyclones could form within or enter PAR in November. – Rappler.com