Signal No. 4 lifted as Typhoon Ofel continues to weaken over Luzon Strait

Parts of Northern Luzon remain under Signal Nos. 1 to 3 due to Typhoon Ofel (Usagi) as of 5 am on Friday, November 15

MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Ofel (Usagi) continued to weaken over the Luzon Strait before dawn on Friday, November 15, after passing closely between Babuyan Islands and the northern part of mainland Cagayan.

Ofel’s maximum sustained winds are down to 120 kilometers per hour, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in a briefing past 5 am on Friday. Its gustiness also eased to up to 150 km/h.

At its peak, Ofel was a super typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 185 km/h, reaching this category early Thursday morning, November 14. But hours later, it was downgraded to a typhoon, before it made landfall in Baggao, Cagayan, at 1:30 pm that day.

The typhoon was last spotted 100 kilometers northwest of Calayan, Cagayan, at 4 am on Friday. It is moving north northwest at 20 km/h.

Ofel is still expected to trigger moderate to heavy rain in Cagayan, Batanes, and Ilocos Norte on Friday. Floods and landslides remain possible.

For winds, Signal No. 4 has been lifted as of 5 am. Here are the areas where tropical cyclone wind signals remain in effect:

Signal No. 3

Storm-force winds (89 to 117 km/h), moderate to significant threat to life and property

• western part of Babuyan Islands (Calayan Island, Dalupiri Island, Fuga Island)
• northwesternmost part of mainland Cagayan (Claveria, Santa Praxedes)
• northernmost part of Ilocos Norte (Pagudpud)

Signal No. 2

Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property

• rest of Babuyan Islands
• northwestern part of mainland Cagayan (Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros)
• northern part of Apayao (Calanasan, Luna, Santa Marcela)
• northern part of Ilocos Norte (Piddig, Bacarra, Adams, Dumalneg, Vintar, Bangui, Burgos, Pasuquin, Carasi)

Signal No. 1

Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property

• Batanes
• rest of Cagayan
• northern part of Isabela (Quezon, Cabagan, Santa Maria, San Pablo, Maconacon, Santo Tomas, Delfin Albano, Tumauini)
• rest of Apayao
• Kalinga
• northern and central parts of Abra (Manabo, Pidigan, Tayum, Langiden, Boliney, Sallapadan, Bucloc, La Paz, Peñarrubia, Dolores, Bangued, Bucay, Daguioman, Lacub, Tineg, Lagayan, Licuan-Baay, Malibcong, San Juan, Lagangilang, Danglas)
• rest of Ilocos Norte
• northern part of Ilocos Sur (Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan, San Ildefonso, Magsingal, Santo Domingo, Bantay, San Vicente)

The highest tropical cyclone wind signal raised due to Ofel was Signal No. 5.

In addition, there is still a high risk of “life-threatening” storm surges “with peak heights up to 3 meters” in Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, and Isabela within 48 hours.

Conditions in affected seaboards are easing on Friday, although it is still unadvisable to travel in some areas.

Up to very rough seas (travel is risky for all vessels)

• Seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands – waves up to 5 meters high
• Northern seaboards of Ilocos Norte and mainland Cagayan – waves up to 4.5 meters high

Up to rough seas (small vessels should not venture out to sea)

• Eastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan; seaboard of Isabela – waves up to 4 meters high
• Eastern seaboards of Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte including Siargao Island and Bucas Grande Island, Surigao del Sur, and Davao Oriental – waves up to 3.5 meters high

Up to moderate seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible)

• Northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes; eastern seaboards of Albay and Sorsogon; northern seaboard of Northern Samar – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Western seaboard of Ilocos Norte; seaboards of Aurora and Camarines Norte; eastern seaboard of Quezon including Polillo Islands; northern and eastern seaboards of Camarines Sur; remaining seaboard of Catanduanes – waves up to 2 meters high

ALSO ON RAPPLER

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Ofel is the Philippines’ 15th tropical cyclone for 2024, and the third for November, after Marce (Yinxing) and Nika (Toraji), which both peaked as typhoons and pummeled Northern Luzon.

PAGASA said Ofel is now projected to move north northwest and exit the northwestern boundary of Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday afternoon. But during this time, extreme Northern Luzon may still be under a tropical cyclone wind signal.

Outside PAR, Ofel is seen to move generally north until early Saturday, November 16, over the sea west of Batanes.

Then it could reenter PAR by Saturday afternoon as it turns northeast toward Taiwan, which is within PAR.

Ofel may also further weaken “due to the increasingly unfavorable environment” from the Luzon Strait up to the sea east of Taiwan, where it may become just a remnant low by early Monday, November 18.

Aside from Ofel, PAGASA is monitoring Severe Tropical Storm Pepito (Man-yi). New Man-yi story to follow here. – Rappler.com