Kalmaegi, a severe weather disturbance, has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and is threatening parts of Visayas and Mindanao in the next 48 hours, the country’s weather bureau reported.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration reported that Kalmaegi, now named Tropical Storm Tino, is affecting Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Camotes Islands in the Visayas and Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte in Mindanao.
These areas were placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 by PAGASA in its 5 p.m. Tropical Cyclone Bulletin on Sunday.
According to PAGASA, Tino eventually developing into a super typhoon is not yet ruled out. The highest Wind Signal that will likely be hoisted throughout its passage is Wind Signal No. 4.
The surge of the Northeast Monsoon, coinciding with the passage of Tino, will also bring strong to gale-force gusts over the following areas not under Wind Signal, especially in coastal and upland areas exposed to winds, PAGASA said in its 11 a.m. Tropical Cyclone Bulletin.
Heavy rain is forecast to affect Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, the northern and eastern portion of Cagayan, the eastern portion of Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Lubang Islands, Marinduque, Calaguas Islands, and Caluya Islands on Sunday while most of Cagayan Valley, most of Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Norte, Aurora, Bulacan, Bataan, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, and Bicol Region will experience heavy rain on Monday.
PAGASA said because of the inclement weather, there is a potential risk of coastal flooding due to storm surge associated with Tino over low-lying and coastal localities in Visayas and several portions of Southern Luzon and Mindanao.
‘The risk of storm surge is higher in areas closer to the projected path of Tino, especially those situated slightly to the north of the track. A Storm Surge Warning will be issued within the day in anticipation of this impending threat,’ PAGASA said.
At 4 p.m. Tino was spotted 805 km East of Eastern Visayas and is moving Westward at 30 km/h. It is packing maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 115 km/h.
Tino is forecast to traverse Visayas and northern Palawan before emerging over the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday morning or afternoon.
According to PAGASA, Tino is forecast to continuously intensify and may reach typhoon category within the next 24 hours, and will likely make its initial landfall at or near peak intensity with a strength of 150-155 km/h maximum winds.
‘Rapid intensification within the next 48 hours is likely. The possibility of reaching the super typhoon category is not ruled out based on alternate scenarios and climatological data. While the passage over the country will trigger a slight weakening, Tino is expected to remain as a typhoon throughout its passage over the country,’ it said.