Tropical Storm Ramil (international name: Fengshen) made landfall over the coastal waters of Gubat, Sorsogon on Saturday afternoon, October 18, according to the state weather bureau PAGASA.
In its 5 p.m. weather bulletin, PAGASA said that Ramil was spotted over the coastal waters of Gubat, Sorsogon, with peak winds of 65 kilometers per hour near the center, gusts of up to 90 kph and a central pressure of 998 hPa.
It was moving slowly westward, with strong to gale-force winds extending outward up to 400 kilometers from the storm’s center.
Wind signals
PAGASA said the following areas are under tropical cyclone wind signals:
Signal No. 2
Luzon
southeastern portion of Isabela (Dinapigue)
southern portion of Quirino (Nagtipunan, Maddela)
southern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castañeda)
northern and central portions of Aurora (Casiguran, Dilasag, Dinalungan, Baler, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, San Luis)
Polillo Islands
Camarines Norte
Catanduanes
northern and eastern portions of Camarines Sur (Tinambac, Siruma, Goa, San Jose, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Caramoan, Presentacion, Sagñay, Tigaon)
eastern portion of Albay (Rapu-Rapu, Bacacay, City of Tabaco, Malilipot, Santo Domingo, Manito, Tiwi, Malinao)
northeastern portion of Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz, City of Sorsogon, Gubat)
Visayas
northern portion of Northern Samar (Laoang, Pambujan, San Roque, Mondragon, Rosario, Lavezares, San Jose, Catarman, Bobon, Palapag)
Signal No. 1
Luzon
Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
rest of Isabela
rest of Quirino
rest of Nueva Vizcaya
Apayao
Abra
Kalinga
Mountain Province
Ifugao, Benguet
Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Sur
La Union
Pangasinan
rest of Aurora,
Nueva Ecija
eastern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, Norzagaray, San Miguel, San Ildefonso, San Rafael, Angat)
eastern portion of Tarlac (Camiling, San Clemente, Santa Ignacia, Paniqui, Moncada, San Manuel, Anao, Ramos, Pura, Victoria, City of Tarlac, La Paz, Concepcion, Gerona)
eastern portion of Pampanga (Magalang, Arayat, Candaba)
northern and eastern portions of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Perez, Alabat, Quezon, Atimonan, Padre Burgos, Unisan, Gumaca, Plaridel, Agdangan, Pagbilao, Mauban, Calauag, Guinayangan, Lopez, Pitogo, Macalelon, General Luna, Catanauan, San Narciso, Buenavista, San Francisco, San Andres, Mulanay, General Nakar, Infanta, Real, Sampaloc)
rest of Camarines Sur
rest of Albay
rest of Sorsogon
Burias Island
Ticao Island
Visayas
rest of Northern Samar
northern portion of Eastern Samar (San Policarpo, Arteche, Oras, Dolores, Maslog, Jipapad, Taft, Can-Avid)
northern portion of Samar (Matuguinao, San Jose de Buan, Calbayog City, Gandara, Santa Margarita, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Tagapul-An, Almagro, Santo Niño, Tarangnan, Paranas, City of Catbalogan, Jiabong, Motiong)
Storm surge, severe winds
PAGASA warned of possible storm surges of 1.0 to 2.0 meters along low-lying coastal areas in Isabela, Ilocos Norte and Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Aurora, Quezon, Marinduque, Bicol Region, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar and Samar within 36 hours.
The storm’s outer rainbands and prevailing easterlies may bring strong to gale-force gusts over the following areas:
Saturday, October 18: Cagayan Valley, CALABARZON, Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte and Sur, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Masbate, Caluya Islands, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran
Sunday, October 19: Central Luzon, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes
Sea conditions
Gale warnings are in effect over the eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon.
Up to 5.0 meters: seaboard of Isabela
Up to 4.5 meters: seaboard of Camarines Norte; northern seaboard of Camarines Sur; northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes
Up to 4.0 meters: eastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan; northern portion of Aurora
Up to 3.5 meters: seaboards of Ilocos Norte and Sur; eastern seaboards of Babuyan Islands, northern Quezon, Albay, Sorsogon; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands, Northern Samar
Up to 3.0 meters: seaboards of Batanes; remaining coasts of mainland Cagayan and Babuyan Islands
Up to 2.5 meters: La Union; western Pangasinan; eastern Eastern Samar; rest of Quezon
Up to 2.0 meters: Marinduque; eastern Dinagat Islands; western Northern Samar; remaining Bicol and Quezon coasts
Mariners are strongly advised against sea travel. PAGASA also warned that small vessels, motorbancas and ill-equipped boats should avoid venturing out.
Track and intensity
Ramil is expected to continue moving west-northwestward toward Central and Southern Luzon. On its track, it may make landfall or pass close to Catanduanes Saturday afternoon or evening, move near Vinzons, Camarines Norte, and Polillo Islands by Sunday morning, and could make another landfall over Aurora or Isabela Sunday afternoon.
After crossing Luzon’s mountainous terrain, Ramil is forecast to emerge over the West Philippine Sea Sunday evening and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility Monday morning, October 20. It may intensify into a severe tropical storm before landfall, weaken slightly over land, and re-intensify once over open waters.
PAGASA said that heavy rainfall, strong winds and storm surges may still be felt outside the storm’s direct path, and any shift in Ramil’s track could change its landfall location.