Typhoon Ruby Gains Strength, 34 Areas Under Storm Signals-PAGASA

State weather agency, PAGASA said at least 34 areas were under storm signals early Friday as Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) intensified further. PAGASA said Ruby continues to move toward Eastern Visayas.

Ruby was estimated at 500 km east of Borongan, Eastern Samar as of 4 a.m., with maximum sustained winds of 215 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 250 kph, report said. It added it could make landfall in Samar area Sunday morning, with a chance to hit land on Borongan, then affect Samar.

PAGASA said Typhoon Ruby is forecast to move west-northwest at 13 kph and is expected to be 230 km east of Borongan, Eastern Samar by Saturday morning. By Sunday morning it is expected to be 85 km southeast of Catarman in Northern Samar. By Monday morning, it is expected to be in the vicinity of Romblon, Romblon, PAGASA said.

Under Storm Signal No. 2 are (18 areas):

Sorsogon
Ticao Island
Masbate
Northern Samar
Eastern Samar
Samar
Biliran
Leyte
Southern Leyte
Northern Cebu
Cebu City
Bantayan Island
Camotes Island
Surigao del Sur
Agusan del Norte
Surigao del Norte
Dinagat Island
Siargao Island

Under Signal No. 1 are (16 areas):

Catanduanes
Albay
Camarines Norte
Camarines Sur
Burias Island
Romblon
Capiz
Iloilo
Negros Oriental
Negros Occidental
Rest of Cebu
Siquijor
Bohol
Misamis Oriental
Agusan del Sur
Camiguin Island

PAGASA reported that Ruby may bring an estimated rainfall of 7.5 to 20 mm per hour (heavy to intense) within its 700-km diameter.

It added Ruby and the Northeast Monsoon will bring rough to very rough sea conditions over the seaboards of Northern Luzon, eastern seaboard of Central and Southern Luzon, over the seaboards of Visayas and over the northern and eastern seaboards of Mindanao.

“Fisherfolks and those using small seacraft are advised not to venture out over the said seaboards,” it said.

It also warned those living near coastal areas to be alert against possible storm surges.

Forecast

The US Naval Observatory’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center still has a forecast track for Hagupit different from that of PAGASA.

PAGASA projects Ruby moving across the Visayas, striking Samar Island then cutting through to the northern tip of Masbate and then moving toward southern Mindoro.

In its latest advisory reported through GMA News Online, JTWC said “expect the system to shift slightly to the northwest into a small weakness in the subtropical ridge and continue to weaken as the system tracks along the Bicol peninsula.”

“In the extended forecast, the bulk of the dynamic models have come into closer agreement on a generally westward track over the Philippines. While there is still some disagreement in the exact placement of the system, ranging between the Cagayn Valley in norther Luzon to just north of Cebu, there is better confidence in the JTWC forecast track, which lays close to the multi-model consensus,” the US Navy address.

Source: GMA News Online, PAGASA