MANILA, Philippines — More areas in Northern Luzon have been placed under Signal No. 1 due to Tropical Depression Mirasol, which continues to move northwestward and is now over Apayao, the state-run weather agency said on Wednesday.
In its 5 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the storm signal was raised over Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, the western and northern portions of Isabela (Santo Tomas, Alicia, San Mateo, Aurora, Santa Maria, Quezon, Ramon, Naguilian, Roxas, Luna, Delfin Albano, City of Cauayan, San Pablo, Ilagan City, City of Santiago, Tumauini, Cabagan, Reina Mercedes, San Manuel, Cabatuan, Quirino, Gamu, San Isidro, Mallig, Cordon, Maconacon, Burgos and Divilacan), the northwestern portion of Quirino (Diffun and Saguday), and the northern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kayapa, Ambaguio, Bayombong, Villaverde, Solano, Quezon, Bagabag and Diadi).
Also under the same wind signal are Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, the northern portion of Benguet (Bakun, Mankayan, Buguias, Kabayan, Atok, Kibungan, Kapangan and Bokod), Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and the northern portion of La Union (Luna, Bangar, Sudipen, Santol, San Gabriel, Balaoan, Bacnotan, San Juan, City of San Fernando and Bagulin), it said.
Mirasol — the 13th storm to hit the country this year — is moving northwestward at 20 kilometers per hour (kph) while packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph and gustiness of up to 90 kph, the weather agency said.
Based on Pagasa’s forecast track, ‘Mirasol’ will continue moving generally northwestward until it exits the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday morning.
Once it is over the waters west of Ilocos Norte, it would likely intensify and may reach tropical storm category either tonight or early Thursday morning, Pagasa said.
Meanwhile, the low pressure area (LPA) spotted east of Southern Luzon has become a tropical depression.
Pagasa administrator Nathaniel Servando said the tropical cyclone, which was 1, 265 kilometers east of Southern Luzon, may enter PAR late Wednesday night or Thursday morning.
