TROPICAL Storm Ramil slightly weakens as it almost remains unmoving at the coastal waters of Northern Samar.
In the 2PM bulletin of PAGASA, #RamilPH was last monitored at the coastal waters of Laoang, Northern Samar with maximum sustained winds of 65km/hr and gustiness up to 90km/hr. It continues to move westward at the speed of 25km/hr.
Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) warnings remain to be raised in the following areas:
TCWS No. 2:
Luzon:
- northern portion of Aurora (Casiguran, Dilasag, Dinalungan)
- Polillo Islands
- Camarines Norte
- Catanduanes
- northern portion of Camarines Sur (Tinambac, Siruma, Goa, San Jose, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Caramoan, Presentacion)
- extreme eastern portion of Albay (Rapu-Rapu)
- northeastern portion of Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz)
Visayas:
- northeastern portion of Northern Samar (Laoang, Palapag, Mapanas, Pambujan, San Roque, Mondragon, Gamay)
TCWS No. 1
Luzon:
- Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
- Isabela
- Quirino
- 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)
PAGASA said that TS Ramil is almost not moving over the waters of Northern Samar and will likely stay there in the next hours. It will eventually move west northwestward to make a landfall in Catanduanes this afternoon or tonight, before slightly shifting in a southward direction that will result to a landfall in Albay or Sorsogon.
Based on the agency’s forecast track, Ramil will then continue to move west northwest over the landmass or coastal waters of Bicol Region.
Ramil’s last landfall may occur in the area of Aurora province at morning or afternoon of tomorrow, October 19. Ramil’s last landfall may occur in the area of Aurora province at morning or afternoon of tomorrow, October 19. However, PAGASA said that the confidence cone means that there remains a possibility of Ramil’s final landfall to happen over northern Quezon or southern Isabela.
Before the last landfall within the next 24 hours, Ramil is likely to re-intensify due to the presence of bodies of water and lack of mountain ranges in Bicol Region. But as it traverse the mountains of Sierra Madre, Ramil may once again slightly weaken, only to re-intensify once it reaches the West Philippine Sea.
Ramil is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on the morning of Monday, October 20.