Seven cities in Metro Manila are among those added to the list of areas under tropical cyclone wind signals due to Severe Tropical Storm Nika (Toraji) as of 11 am on Sunday, November 10
MANILA, Philippines – More areas were placed under tropical cyclone wind signals at 11 am on Sunday, November 10 — including the northern part of Metro Manila — as Severe Tropical Storm Nika (Toraji) maintained its strength while over the Philippine Sea east of Quezon province.
Nika was located 500 kilometers east of Infanta, Quezon, as of 10 am, moving west and continuing its relatively fast pace of 30 kilometers per hour (km/h).
The severe tropical storm still has maximum sustained winds of 100 km/h and gustiness of up to 125 km/h.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a briefing past 11 am that it still expects Nika to strengthen into a typhoon on Sunday, then reach its peak intensity before hitting land.
Nika is projected to make landfall in Isabela or Aurora on Monday morning or early afternoon, November 11. Afterwards, it will cross mainland Luzon, where “a short period of weakening” is expected, then emerge over the West Philippine Sea on Monday evening, where it could re-intensify.
PAGASA again emphasized that all areas under wind and rainfall warnings — not just the possible landfall areas of Isabela and Aurora — must prepare for the approaching tropical cyclone.
Below is the list of areas under tropical cyclone wind signals as of 11 am on Sunday. Wind signals are raised in advance to give affected areas time to prepare for winds.
Signal No. 2
Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property
- northern and central parts of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler)
- Isabela
- Quirino
- southern part of Cagayan (Solana, Iguig, Peñablanca, Tuguegarao City, Enrile)
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Kalinga
- Mountain Province
- Ifugao
Signal No. 1
Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property
- rest of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
- Apayao
- Abra
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- eastern and central parts of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Tayug, Natividad, San Quintin, Umingan, Basista, Villasis, Malasiqui, San Fabian, Urbiztondo, Bautista, Mangaldan, Mapandan, Rosales, Dagupan City, Binalonan, Aguilar, Alcala, San Manuel, Asingan, Santo Tomas, Pozorrubio, Santa Maria, Urdaneta City, Laoac, Mangatarem, San Carlos City, Manaoag, Binmaley, San Jacinto, Bayambang, Calasiao, Santa Barbara, Balungao, Sison, Lingayen, Bugallon, Labrador)
- La Union
- Benguet
- rest of Aurora
- Tarlac
- Nueva Ecija
- Pampanga
- Bulacan
- northern part of Metro Manila (Navotas City, Valenzuela City, Malabon City, Caloocan City, Marikina City, Pasig City, Quezon City)
- Rizal
- northeastern part of Laguna (Santa Maria, Mabitac, Pakil, Pangil, Famy, Siniloan, Paete, Kalayaan, Cavinti, Lumban, Luisiana)
- eastern part of Quezon (Calauag, Guinayangan, Tagkawayan, Pitogo, San Andres, Buenavista, San Francisco, Pagbilao, Infanta, Lopez, Catanauan, Mulanay, Unisan, General Luna, Plaridel, Quezon, Alabat, Sampaloc, Padre Burgos, Macalelon, Mauban, Perez, Agdangan, Gumaca, Atimonan, Real, San Narciso, General Nakar, Lucban, Tayabas City, Lucena City) including Pollilo Islands
- Camarines Norte
- Camarines Sur
- Catanduanes
- northeastern part of Albay (Malinao, Tiwi, Bacacay, Tabaco City, Malilipot, Rapu-Rapu)
The highest possible tropical cyclone wind signal due to Nika is Signal No. 4.
The northeasterly windflow is also bringing strong to gale-force gusts to these areas:
Sunday, November 10
- Batanes, Babuyan Islands, northern Cagayan, Ilocos Norte
Monday, November 11
- Batanes, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes
Tuesday, November 12
- Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
For rainfall, PAGASA’s latest outlook released at 11 am on Sunday shows six provinces already experiencing moderate to heavy rain due to Nika. The rain may trigger floods and landslides.
Sunday noon, November 10, to Monday noon, November 11
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 millimeters): Aurora, Quezon, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Northern Samar
Monday noon, November 11, to Tuesday noon, November 12
- Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 mm): Cagayan, Isabela, Apayao, Aurora
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Kalinga, Mountain Province, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Abra
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Tarlac, Nueva, Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur
Tuesday noon, November 12, to Wednesday noon, November 13
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Kalinga, Apayao, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Pangasinan, La Union, Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora
In addition, there is now 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, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes in the next 48 hours.
ALSO ON RAPPLER
Sea conditions will worsen further in the next 24 hours.
Up to very rough or high seas (travel is risky for all vessels)
- Seaboards of Isabela and northern Aurora – waves up to 7 meters high
- Remaining seaboard of Aurora; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands; seaboard of
Camarines Norte – waves up to 5.5 meters high - Eastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan; 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)
- Remaining seaboard of Catanduanes – waves up to 4 meters high
- Seaboards of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Batanes, and Babuyan Islands; remaining seaboard of mainland Cagayan – waves up to 3.5 meters high
- Eastern seaboards of mainland Quezon, Albay, and Sorsogon; northern seaboard of Northern Samar; remaining seaboard of Ilocos Region and Polillo Islands – waves up to 3 meters high
Up to moderate seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible)
- Eastern seaboard of Northern Samar – waves up to 2.5 meters high
- Eastern seaboards of Eastern Samar and Dinagat Islands; seaboard of Kalayaan Islands – waves up to 2 meters high
Nika is the Philippines’ 14th tropical cyclone for 2024, and the second for November, coming immediately after Typhoon Marce (Yinxing), which battered Northern Luzon.
It could leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday afternoon or evening, November 12.
Meanwhile, the low pressure area (LPA) outside PAR was located 2,175 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, as of 10 am on Sunday.
The LPA still has a high chance of developing into a tropical depression within 24 hours. Updates are expected in the coming hours and days. – Rappler.com
