Philippines: 'Ada' intensifies, with gusts of up to 70 km/h, seen off Surigao City

Manila: Tropical depression "Ada" (the first tropical cyclone of 2026, formerly monitored as LPA 01b), could turn into a tropical storm in the next few hours as it intensified while curling towards eastern Philippines, according to the weather report Thursday (January 15).

In a bulletin issued at 11 am, Pagasa noted that "Ada" has maintained its strength while moving west-northwestward over the Philippine Sea east of Surigao del Norte.

Current Position and Intensity (from ~11:00 AM bulletin)

Gusts: Up to 70 km/h.

Movement: West-northwestward (or northwestward) at 20 km/h.

Status: Ada remains active over the Philippine Sea east of Mindanao

Forecast, expected development

Ada is forecast to reach tropical storm (TS) category today (January 15, 2026) and continue gradually intensifying over the Philippine Sea.

Tracking Ada

It may pass close to or make landfall over Eastern Visayas (e.g., near Eastern Samar, Northern Samar) on Friday (January 16) or early Saturday (January 17), before approaching areas near Catanduanes or the Bicol Region by the weekend, as per the weather bureau.

Further intensification is expected, but the exact path could bring impacts to parts of Visayas and Southern Luzon.

Warnings and impacts

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 is raised in several areas (at least 11 provinces/regions reported as of early January 15), including parts of:

• Caraga (e.g., Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands).

• Eastern Visayas (e.g., Northern Samar, other Samar provinces).

• Bicol (e.g., Sorsogon, southeastern Albay).

  These areas may experience strong winds within the next 36 hours, leading to minimal to minor threats to life/property.

Hazards: Expect moderate to heavy rains, possible flash floods or landslides in affected regions (especially Eastern Visayas, Caraga, parts of Bicol). Cloudy skies with scattered rains/thunderstorms in broader areas influenced by Ada.

Monitoring: PAGASA advises monitoring for possible raising to higher signals (e.g., Signal No. 2) if it strengthens further and approaches land.

Ada the first named storm of the 2026 season, residents urged to stay updated ("Ada" means "fairy" in Cebuano and is a replacement name on Pagasa's list).

It will move generally northwestward over the next few days.