MANILA, Philippines – Paeng (Nalgae) intensified from a tropical storm into a severe tropical storm, prompting the weather bureau to place some areas under Signal No. 3 in the early hours of Saturday, October 29.

Paeng’s maximum sustained winds increased from 85 kilometers per hour to 95 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in a bulletin released past 2 am on Saturday. Its gustiness went up to 130 km/h from 105 km/h.

The severe tropical storm was already over the coastal waters of Virac, Catanduanes, moving west northwest at a slightly faster 30 km/h from the previous 25 km/h.

PAGASA said Paeng is expected to continue moving west northwest across Luzon until Sunday, October 30.

The severe tropical storm is seen to make landfall in the Albay-Camarines Sur area within 6 hours, or by early Saturday morning, then cross the Bicol peninsula until noon.

Afterwards, it may cross the Calabarzon-Metro Manila area early Saturday afternoon to evening, emerge over Manila Bay, then pass very close to or over the Bataan-Zambales area between late Saturday evening and early Sunday morning.

PAGASA also said Paeng’s interaction with landmass may cause it to weaken back into a tropical storm within 24 hours or earlier. But it may re-intensify into a severe tropical storm once it reaches the West Philippine Sea.

Here are the areas under tropical cyclone wind signals as of 2 am on Saturday:

Signal No. 3

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

• Catanduanes
• Camarines Norte
• northern part of Camarines Sur (Ragay, Lupi, Sipocot, Libmanan, Cabusao, Magarao, Calabanga, Tinambac, Siruma, Goa, Tigaon, San Jose, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Presentacion, Caramoan, Saglay, Ocampo, Pili, Bombon, Naga City, Del Gallego, Canaman, Camaligan, Milaor, Gainza, Pamplona)
• extreme eastern part of Quezon (Tagkawayan, Guinayangan)

Signal No. 2

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

• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Ticao Island and Burias Island
• rest of Camarines Sur
• Marinduque
• rest of Quezon including Polillo Islands
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Cavite
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• Bulacan
• southern part of Aurora (San Luis, Baler, Dingalan, Maria Aurora)
• central and southern parts of Nueva Ecija (Gapan City, San Leonardo, Santo Domingo, Rizal, San Isidro, Laur, Zaragoza, Llanera, Aliaga, Palayan City, Gabaldon, General Mamerto Natividad, Cabanatuan City, Quezon, San Antonio, General Tinio, Santa Rosa, Peñaranda, Jaen, Licab, Bongabon, Cabiao, Talavera)
• central and southern parts of Tarlac (La Paz, Tarlac City, San Jose, Gerona, Mayantoc, Pura, Bamban, Capas, Santa Ignacia, Victoria, Concepcion)
• Pampanga
• Bataan
• central and southern parts of Zambales (Masinloc, Palauig, Iba, Botolan, Cabangan, San Marcelino, Subic, Olongapo City, Castillejos, San Antonio, San Narciso, San Felipe)
• northern and central parts of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Baco, Calapan City, Naujan, Victoria, Pola, Socorro, Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas)
• northern and central parts of Occidental Mindoro (Sablayan, Santa Cruz, Mamburao, Abra de Ilog, Paluan) including Lubang Islands
• Romblon
• Northern Samar
• northern part of Eastern Samar (Jipapad, Arteche, Oras, San Policarpo, Maslog, Can-avid, Dolores)
• northern part of Samar (Paranas, Motiong, Catbalogan City, Tarangnan, San Jorge, Jiabong, San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao, Gandara, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, Pagsanghan, Santo Niño, Almagro, Tagapul-an)

Signal No. 1

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

• central and southern parts of Isabela (San Agustin, Jones, Santiago City, Cordon, Echague, Dinapigue, San Mariano, San Guillermo, Angadanan, Cauayan City, Benito Soliven, Ramon, San Isidro, Alicia, San Mateo, Cabatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Naguilian, Palanan, Aurora, Burgos, San Manuel, Gamu, Ilagan City, Divilacan, Roxas, Quirino, Mallig)
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• Benguet
• Ifugao
• Mountain Province
• southern part of Ilocos Sur (Sugpon, Cervantes, Alilem, Suyo, Tagudin, Santa Cruz, Sigay, Quirino, Gregorio del Pilar, Salcedo, Santa Lucia)
• La Union
• rest of Aurora
• rest of Nueva Ecija
• rest of Zambales
• Pangasinan
• rest of Tarlac
• rest of Oriental Mindoro
• rest of Occidental Mindoro
• northern part of Palawan (El Nido, Taytay) including Calamian and Cuyo Islands
• rest of Samar
• rest of Eastern Samar
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands
• Bohol
• Negros Occidental
• Negros Oriental
• Guimaras
• Aklan
• Antique
• Capiz
• Iloilo
• Siquijor
• rest of Leyte
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands
• northern part of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes, Tandag City, Bayabas, Cagwait, San Miguel, Tago, Marihatag, San Agustin, Lianga, Barobo)
• Agusan del Norte
• northeastern part of Agusan del Sur (Sibagat, Esperanza, Bayugan City, Prosperidad)
• Camiguin
• Misamis Oriental

Meanwhile, the surge of the northeast monsoon or hanging amihan enhanced by Paeng is bringing strong winds to these areas:

• Batanes
• Babuyan Islands
• northern and eastern parts of mainland Cagayan
• Ilocos Norte
• northern part of Apayao

PAGASA maintained its rainfall forecast for Paeng and reminded areas affected by the severe tropical storm to stay on alert for widespread floods and landslides.

Until Saturday morning, October 29

Heavy to intense rain, with at times torrential rain

• Bicol
• Quezon including Polillo Islands
• Marinduque
• Romblon
• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro
• Western Visayas
• Samar
• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• Metro Manila
• rest of Calabarzon
• Aurora
• Bulacan
• Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Islands
• Northern Samar
• Negros Oriental
• Cebu
• rest of Eastern Visayas
• Zamboanga Peninsula
• Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• Nueva Ecija
• Pampanga
• Bataan
• rest of Visayas

Saturday morning to evening, October 29

Heavy to intense rain, with at times torrential rain

• Metro Manila
• Calabarzon
• Marinduque
• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• mainland Cagayan Valley
• Cordillera Administrative Region
• Aurora
• Nueva Ecija
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Bataan
• Romblon
• northern part of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Islands
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Western Visayas

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• Ilocos Region
• rest of Central Luzon
• rest of Bicol
• rest of Visayas

Saturday evening, October 29, to Sunday morning, October 30

Heavy to intense rain, with at times torrential rain

• Metro Manila
• Zambales
• Bataan
• Rizal
• Laguna
• Cavite
• Batangas

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• mainland Cagayan Valley
• Cordillera Administrative Region
• Quezon including Polillo Islands
• Marinduque
• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro
• rest of Central Luzon
• Western Visayas

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• Ilocos Region
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Romblon
• northern part of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Islands

PAGASA also warned that there is a minimal to moderate risk of storm surges up to 2 meters high, which may cause floods in the “low-lying and exposed coastal areas” of the following:

• Bicol
• Marinduque
• eastern part of Batangas
• Quezon including Polillo Islands
• Aurora
• northern and western parts of Northern Samar

For coastal waters, this gale warning issued due to Paeng and the northeast monsoon at 5 pm on Friday, October 28, is still in effect:

• eastern and southern seaboards of Southern Luzon and eastern seaboard of Visayas (Quezon including Polillo Islands, Marinduque, Romblon, southern coast of Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran) – very rough to high seas, waves 4.5 to 6.5 meters high
• eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon and Central Luzon (eastern coast of Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora) – very rough seas, waves 4.5 to 6 meters high
• northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon (Batanes, northern coast of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales) – rough to very rough seas, waves 3.1 to 5.5 meters high
• eastern seaboard of Mindanao (eastern coast of Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, eastern coast of Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Sur, eastern coast of Davao Oriental) – rough to very rough seas, waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high

“Rough to high sea conditions are risky for all types of sea vessels. Mariners are advised to remain in port or take shelter in port until winds and waves subside,” PAGASA said.

Paeng is the Philippines’ 16th tropical cyclone for 2022 and the fourth for October. PAGASA earlier said there may be up to four tropical cyclones during the month.

In a late-night briefing on Friday, PAGASA Weather Specialist Benison Estareja said a low pressure area (LPA) formed outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

The LPA was located 1,700 kilometers east of Mindanao late Friday evening and may enter PAR on Monday, October 31.

PAGASA is not ruling out the possibility of the LPA developing into a tropical depression. Updates are expected in the coming days. – Rappler.com