‘Ambo’ May Make Landfall Over Samar Thursday

Typhoon Ambo may make landfall over Northern Samar or the northern portion of Eastern Samar Thursday afternoon or early evening, the weather bureau said.

In its latest bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Ambo was last tracked 185 kilometers east southeast of Catarman, Northern Samar or 110 kms east northeast of Borongan City, Eastern Samar, moving westward at 15 kms per hour.

It has maximum sustained winds of 155 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 190 kph.

Heavy to intense with at times torrential rains are projected over Samar provinces. Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains may be experienced over Sorsogon, Albay, Catanduanes, Masbate, and the rest of Eastern Visayas.

PAGASA warned of violent winds and heavy to torrential rains to begin affecting Northern Samar and the northern portions of Samar and Eastern Samar in the next 12 hours, as Ambo may further intensify before making landfall.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) no. 3 was raised over Sorsogon, the eastern section of Albay (Legazpi City, Manito, Daraga, Camalig, Jovellar, Santo Domingo, Bacacay, Rapu-Rapu), and Ticao Island, Northern Samar, the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Jipapad, Arteche, Maslog, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpio, Can-avid, Taft, Sulat, San Julian, Borongan City), and the northern portion of Samar (Calbayog City, Sta. Margarita, Gandara, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Matuguinao, and San Jose de Buan).

These areas may experience strong to destructive typhoon-force winds during the passage of Ambo.

Under TCWS no. 2 are the southeastern portion of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Guinayangan, Buenavista, San Narciso, Mulanay, San Andres, San Francisco), Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, the rest of Albay, Burias Island, and the northern portion of mainland Masbate (Aroroy, Baleno, Masbate City, Mobo, Uson, Dimasalang, Palanas, Cataingan, Pio V. Corpuz) Biliran, the rest of Samar, and the rest of Eastern Samar.
These areas may experience strong to damaging gale/storm-force winds during the passage of the typhoon.

TCWS no. 1 is hoisted over the southern portion of Aurora (Baler, San Luis, Dingalan), the southern portion of Nueva Ecija (Bongabon, Gabaldon, General Tinio, Laur, San Leonardo, Peñaranda, Gapan City), Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, the rest of Quezon, Marinduque, and the eastern portion of Romblon (Banton, Corcuera, Calatrava, San Agustin, Romblon, Magdiwang, San Fernando, Cajidiocan); and the northern portion of Leyte, including Tacloban City and Ormoc City.

These areas may experience strong to near gale-force winds during the passage of the typhoon.

Sea travel is risky for all types of seacrafts over the seaboards of areas under TCWS.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers caused by localized thunderstorms. (PNA)