Signal No. 3 up as Aghon intensifies into severe tropical storm

Severe Tropical Storm Aghon (Ewiniar) has maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h late Sunday afternoon, May 26, and might strengthen further into a typhoon

MANILA, Philippines – Aghon (Ewiniar) intensified from a tropical storm into a severe tropical storm at 3 pm on Sunday, May 26, prompting the weather bureau to raise Signal No. 3 for the eastern portion of Quezon.

In a bulletin issued at 5 pm on Sunday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Aghon now has maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour from the previous 75 km/h.

Its gustiness is now up to 130 km/h from 125 km/h.

The severe tropical storm was last spotted over the coastal waters of Mauban, Quezon, at 4 pm on Sunday.

It continues to slowly move northeast, heading for Quezon’s Polillo Islands.

PAGASA said Aghon might strengthen further into a typhoon while over the sea east of Quezon, or possibly later than that – by Monday afternoon, May 27.

These are the areas under tropical cyclone wind signals as of 5 pm on Sunday:

Signal No. 3

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

• eastern part of Quezon (Infanta, Real, Mauban) including Polillo Islands (Panukulan, Burdeos, Patnanungan, Polillo)

Signal No. 2

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

• Aurora
• northern and central parts of Quezon (Alabat, Perez, Quezon, Gumaca, Lopez, Macalelon, General Luna, Unisan, Pitogo, Plaridel, Agdangan, Padre Burgos, Atimonan, General Nakar, Sampaloc, Pagbilao, Calauag, Lucban, Tayabas City, Lucena City, Tiaong, Candelaria, Sariaya, Dolores, San Antonio, Jomalig)
• Laguna
• eastern part of Batangas (Tanauan City, San Jose, Lipa City, Mataasnakahoy, Balete, Malvar, Santo Tomas, Cuenca, San Pascual, Batangas City, Ibaan, Padre Garcia, Rosario, San Juan, Taysan, Lobo)
• eastern and central parts of Rizal (Jala-Jala, Pililla, Tanay, Cardona, Binangonan, Morong, Baras, Rodriguez, Antipolo City, Teresa)
• northern part of Camarines Norte (Santa Elena, Capalonga)

Signal No. 1

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

• eastern part of Isabela (Divilacan, San Mariano, San Guillermo, Jones, Echague, San Agustin, Ilagan City, Benito Soliven, Cauayan City, Maconacon, Angadanan, Naguilian, Palanan, Dinapigue)
• eastern part of Quirino (Maddela, Nagtipunan, Aglipay)
• southern part of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castañeda, Dupax del Sur, Dupax del Norte)
• eastern and southern parts of Nueva Ecija (General Tinio, Gabaldon, Bongabon, Pantabangan, Rizal, General Mamerto Natividad, Laur, Palayan City, Peñaranda, San Leonardo, Gapan City, Cabanatuan City, Santa Rosa, San Isidro, Cabiao, San Antonio, Jaen, Zaragoza, Aliaga, Talavera, Llanera)
• southern part of Bataan (Orani, Samal, Balanga City, Abucay, Pilar, Orion, Limay, Mariveles, Bagac)
• eastern part of Pampanga (Candaba, San Luis, San Simon, Apalit, Santa Ana, Arayat, Mexico, Santa Rita, Guagua, Sasmuan, Macabebe, Masantol, Santo Tomas, Minalin, San Fernando City, Bacolor, Lubao)
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila
• rest of Quezon
• rest of Rizal
• rest of Batangas
• northern and central parts of Oriental Mindoro (Pinamalayan, Pola, Naujan, Victoria, Socorro, Calapan City, Bansud, Gloria, Baco, San Teodoro, Puerto Galera, Bongabong)
• Marinduque
• extreme northern part of Romblon (Concepcion, Corcuera, Banton)
• rest of Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur

As Aghon has maintained its slow pace, PAGASA advised the same areas to remain on alert for floods and landslides caused by moderate to torrential rain from the severe tropical storm. Rain will persist in the areas below.

Sunday afternoon, May 26, to Monday afternoon, May 27

• Greater than 200 mm: Quezon
• 100-200 mm: Aurora, eastern part of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Metro Manila, Camarines Norte
• 50-100 mm: eastern part of Isabela, Nueva Ecija, rest of Bulacan, eastern part of Pampanga, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, Burias Island, western part of Camarines Sur, Cuyo Islands, Aklan, Antique

Monday afternoon, May 27, to Tuesday afternoon, May 28

• 50-100 mm: eastern part of Isabela, northern part of Aurora, Polillo Islands

The weather bureau also said there is still a “minimal to moderate risk” of storm surges over the “exposed and low-lying coastal areas” of Cagayan, Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Burias Island within 24 hours.

The coastal waters of Aurora, Quezon, and Marinduque, as well as the southern coastal waters of Batangas and the northern coastal waters of Camarines Norte, remain under a gale warning, too. PAGASA said travel is risky for small vessels, “including all motorbancas of any type of tonnage.”

Outside those areas under the gale warning, Aghon will still cause moderate to rough seas in the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon and the seaboard of Bicol. Waves are 1.5 to 3.5 meters high, so small boats must take precautionary measures, or if possible, avoid sailing altogether.

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Earlier, Aghon made landfall eight times in a roughly 29-hour period:

Friday, May 24

• Homonhon Island, Guiuan, Eastern Samar – 11:20 pm

Saturday, May 25

• Giporlos, Eastern Samar – 12:40 am
• Basiao Island, Catbalogan City, Samar – 4 am
• Cagduyong Island, Catbalogan City, Samar – 5 am
• Batuan, Ticao Island, Masbate – 10:20 am
• Masbate City, Masbate – 10:40 am
• Torrijos, Marinduque – 10 pm

Sunday, May 26

• Lucena City, Quezon – 4:30 am

Aghon is projected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday, May 29.

It is the country’s first tropical cyclone for 2024. (READ: LIST: Philippine tropical cyclone names in 2024)

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