Typhoon Marce moves over Babuyan Channel, second landfall possible

PAGASA says Typhoon Marce (Yinxing) could make another landfall along the coast of northwestern mainland Cagayan on Thursday evening, November 7

MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Marce (Yinxing) continued to trigger “life-threatening conditions” in the northern parts of Cagayan, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte as it moved over the Babuyan Channel early Thursday evening, November 7, the weather bureau said.

As of 7 pm on Thursday, Marce was located over the coastal waters of Aparri, Cagayan, moving west northwest at only 10 kilometers per hour (km/h).

It continues to have maximum sustained winds of 175 km/h and gustiness of up to 240 km/h.

Earlier on Thursday, the typhoon made landfall in Santa Ana, Cagayan, at 3:40 pm.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Marce could make another landfall along the coast of northwestern mainland Cagayan on Thursday evening, then emerge over the West Philippine Sea early Friday morning, November 8.

PAGASA reiterated that “regardless of the position of the center of the eye in the next several hours…potentially life-threatening conditions due to typhoon-force winds, storm surge inundation, and torrential rainfall will be experienced in the Babuyan Islands and the northern portions of mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, and Apayao.”

Marce may start weakening in the next 12 to 24 hours “due to interaction with the terrain of mainland Luzon” and dry air from the northeasterly windflow, but it is likely to remain a typhoon. PAGASA, however, is also not ruling out the possibility of Marce intensifying into a super typhoon.

More areas in Ilocos Norte were placed under Signal No. 4 as of 8 pm on Thursday. Below is the updated list of areas under tropical cyclone wind signals.

Signal No. 4

Typhoon-force winds (118 to 184 km/h), significant to severe threat to life and property

• northern part of Cagayan (Gonzaga, Santa Ana, Santa Teresita, Lal-lo, Buguey, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Gattaran, Ballesteros, Allacapan, Abulug, Pamplona, Sanchez-Mira, Claveria, Santa Praxedes, Lasam) including Babuyan Islands
• northern part of Apayao (Santa Marcela, Luna, Flora, Calanasan, Pudtol)
• northern part of Ilocos Norte (Pagudpud, Bangui, Vintar, Dumalneg, Adams, Bacarra, Pasuquin, Burgos, Laoag City, Piddig, Carasi, San Nicolas, Sarrat)

Signal No. 3

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

• Batanes
• rest of Cagayan
• rest of Apayao
• rest of Ilocos Norte
• northern part of Abra (Tineg, Danglas, Lagayan, Lacub, San Juan, La Paz, Bangued)
• northern part of Ilocos Sur (Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan, Magsingal, Santo Domingo)

Signal No. 2

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

• northern and central parts of Isabela (San Pablo, Santa Maria, Divilacan, Tumauini, Maconacon, Cabagan, Santo Tomas, Quezon, Palanan, Ilagan City, Mallig, Delfin Albano, Quirino, San Mariano, Gamu, Roxas, Naguilian, Burgos, Reina Mercedes, Benito Soliven, Luna, Aurora, San Manuel, San Mateo, Alicia, Angadanan, Cauayan City, Cabatuan)
• rest of Abra
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• northern part of Ifugao (Alfonso Lista, Aguinaldo, Mayoyao, Banaue, Hungduan)
• northern part of Benguet (Bakun, Mankayan)
• rest of Ilocos Sur
• northern part of La Union (Sudipen, Bangar, Balaoan, Luna, Santol)

Signal No. 1

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

• rest of La Union
• Pangasinan
• rest of Ifugao
• rest of Benguet
• rest of Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• northern and central parts of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler)
• northern part of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan)
• northern part of Zambales (Santa Cruz, Candelaria)

The northeasterly windflow and the “periphery” of the typhoon are bringing strong to gale-force gusts to these areas, too:

Thursday, November 7

• Zambales, Bataan, Polillo Islands

Friday, November 8

• Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Ilocos Region

Saturday, November 9

Marce will keep bringing moderate to torrential rain to parts of Northern Luzon until Friday evening, particularly to the following areas, which are advised to remain on alert for floods and landslides:

• Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 millimeters): Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Cagayan
• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Abra, Ilocos Sur
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): La Union, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Benguet, Ifugao, Batanes, Isabela

For the rest of Thursday, Central Luzon may also feel the effects of Marce, or the typhoon’s trough or extension. Zambales and Aurora could have heavy rain, while the rest of Central Luzon may see scattered rain and thunderstorms.

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

ALSO ON RAPPLER

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Here is the outlook for sea conditions in the next 24 hours:

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

• Seaboards of Babuyan Islands and Ilocos Norte; northern seaboard of mainland Cagayan – waves up to 12 meters high
• Remaining seaboard of Cagayan – waves up to 8 meters high
• Seaboards of Batanes and Ilocos Sur – waves up to 7 meters high
• Remaining seaboard of Ilocos Region – waves up to 5 meters high
• Seaboards of northern Zambales and Isabela – waves up to 4.5 meters high

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

• Seaboard of Kalayaan Islands – waves up to 4 meters high
• Seaboards of Camarines Norte and northern Aurora; remaining seaboard of Zambales – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands and Catanduanes; northern seaboard of Camarines Sur; western seaboards of Bataan, Lubang Islands, Calamian Islands, and mainland Palawan – waves up to 3 meters high

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

• Northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar; eastern seaboards of Albay, Sorsogon, and Eastern Samar; remaining seaboard of Aurora; seaboard of northern Quezon – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Western seaboards of Occidental Mindoro and Batangas; eastern seaboards of Camarines Sur, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Sur – waves up to 2 meters high

Marce is the Philippines’ 13th tropical cyclone for 2024, and the first for November. It could exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday afternoon or evening.

PAGASA previously estimated that one or two tropical cyclones could form within or enter PAR in November. – Rappler.com