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MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Ramon (Kalmaegi) slightly slowed down before dawn on Thursday, November 14, as it continued heading for land.

In a briefing at 5 am on Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Ramon is now 355 kilometers east of Legazpi City, Albay, or 300 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes.

It is moving west northwest at only 10 kilometers per hour (km/h) from the previous 15 km/h.

The tropical storm still has maximum winds of 65 km/h and gustiness of up to 80 km/h.

The following areas remain under tropical cyclone wind signals:

Signal No. 2 (winds of 61 km/h to 120 km/h)

• Catanduanes

Signal No. 1 (winds of 30 km/h to 60 km/h)

• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Eastern Samar
• Northern Samar

Ramon is also causing rain in parts of Luzon. Here is what to expect for the next 48 hours:

Thursday, November 14

• Light to moderate rain with intermittent heavy rain
• Bicol
• eastern part of Isabela
• eastern part of Cagayan

Friday, November 15

• Light to moderate rain with occasionally heavy rain
• eastern part of Cagayan
• eastern part of Isabela
• Light to moderate rain with intermittent heavy rain
• Apayao
• Quirino
• northern part of Aurora
• rest of Cagayan
• rest of Isabela

Areas affected by Ramon should stay alert for possible flash floods and landslides. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Classes were suspended in some areas for Thursday. (READ: #WalangPasok: Class suspensions, Thursday, November 14, 2019)

Travel is also risky, especially for small vessels, in the seaboards of areas under Signal Nos. 1 and 2, the seaboards of Northern Luzon, and the eastern seaboards of Aurora and Quezon including Polillo Island.

Since Ramon slowed down, it is taking longer to reach land. Its latest forecast track now shows it could make landfall in the Isabela-Cagayan area between Saturday evening, November 16, and early Sunday, November 17.

Ramon is the Philippines’ 18th tropical cyclone for 2019, and the 2nd for November. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2019)

The country gets an average of 20 tropical cyclones annually, but since 2019 is an El Niño year, only 14 to 18 tropical cyclones are expected.

Below is the estimated number of tropical cyclones for the last two months of 2019:

• November – 1 or 2
• December – 0 or 1

PAGASA declared the start of the rainy season last June 14. – Rappler.com