Philippine cyclone: Signal No. 3 raised as 'Ma-on' intensifies into a severe storm

Manila: Several areas were placed under Signal No. 3 after tropical cyclone (typhoon) “Ma-on” (locally codenamed “Florita”) intensified into a severe tropical storm on Tuesday, weathermen said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) located Ma-on at 120 kilometers east northeast of Casiguran town in Aurora province on Tuesday, packing wind speeds of up to 115 kilometers per hour (km/h).

In a bulletin issued at 11am Tuesday (August 23), the weather bureau said Ma-on already made landfall over Maconanon town in Isabela province as a severe tropical storm.

Intense rains

The state weather bureau warned residents to expect heavy to intense rains — with at times torrential rains — in the following provinces:

“Florita (Ma-on) has gained strength. From a tropical storm category, it has been upgraded to a severe tropical storm category. Currently, a large part of the country, especially in Luzon and Visayas, will experience cloudy skies with rain because of the severe tropical storm and the southwest monsoon,” said Pagasa weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio.

Moderate to heavy rains

Pagasa said Florita will bring moderate heavy rains over the northern provinces:

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains are expected in the following areas:

Metro Manila

Pagasa has raised the Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal in the following areas:

Signal No. 3

Northern and eastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros, Lal-Lo, Baggao, Peñablanca, Gattaran, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Buguey, Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Santa Teresita)

Eastern portion of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan)

Southern portion of Babuyan Islands (Camiguin Island, Fuga Island, Dalupiri Island)

Signal No. 2

The rest of mainland Cagayan

The rest of Babuyan Islands

Rest of Isabela

Quirino

Eastern and central portions of Nueva Vizcaya (Kayapa, Ambaguio, Solano, Villaverde, Bagabag, Diadi, Quezon, Bayombong, Bambang, Aritao, Dupax del Sur, Dupax del Norte, Kasibu, Alfonso Castaneda)

Apayao

Abra

Kalinga

Mountain Province

Ifugao

The northern portion of Benguet (Bakun, Kibungan, Buguias, Kabayan, Mankayan, Bokod, Atok)

Ilocos Norte

Ilocos Sur

Northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Baler, Maria Aurora)

Northern and eastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya

Signal no. 1

Batanes

The rest of Nueva Vizcaya

The rest of Benguet

La Union, Pangasinan

The eastern portion of Tarlac (San Clemente, Camiling, Moncada, San Manuel, Anao, Santa Ignacia, Gerona, Paniqui, Ramos, Pura, Victoria, La Paz, City of Tarlac, Concepcion)

Nueva Ecija

The rest of Aurora

The eastern portion of Pampanga (Magalang, Arayat, Candaba)

The eastern portion of Bulacan (San Ildefonso, San Miguel, Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Rafael, Angat, Norzagaray, City of San Jose del Monte)

The eastern portion of Rizal (Rodriguez, San Mateo, City of Antipolo, Tanay, Baras)

The northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta, Real, Mauban, Perez, Alabat, Quezon, Calauag) including Polillo Islands

The northern portion of Laguna (Santa Maria, Famy, Siniloan, Pangil, Pakil, Paete)

Camarines Norte

Eastern portion of Rizal

Northern portion of Quezon

Polillo Islands

Northern portion of Laguna

Camarines Norte

Florita and the southwest monsoon will also affect western Visayas, Mimaropa and the rest of the Bicol Region.

Cloudy skies with gusty winds can be expected.

Mindanao can expect partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers due to localized thunderstorms.

Rough seas

Moderate to rough seas are also expected in Northern Luzon, Southern Luzon and the Visayas.

Going out to the seas will be risky for smaller seacrafts, Pagasa warned.