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MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Ambo (Vongfong) was almost stationary over the Luzon Strait before dawn on Sunday, May 17.

In a bulletin issued 5 am on Sunday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Ambo is located 125 kilometers west northwest of Calayan, Cagayan, barely moving.

Its maximum winds decreased to 45 km/h from the 55 km/h recorded late Saturday evening, May 16, while its gustiness is down to 55 km/h from the previous 70 km/h.

PAGASA said Ambo is likely to weaken into a low pressure area in the next 12 to 24 hours, as it makes its way out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Ambo was a typhoon when it lashed parts of Eastern Visayas, Bicol, and Calabarzon, then gradually weakened as it crossed other areas in Luzon. It made landfall 6 times as a typhoon and once as a severe tropical storm, in these areas:

Thursday, May 14

• San Policarpo, Eastern Samar – 12:15 pm
• Dalupiri Island, Northern Samar – 10:15 pm
• Capul Island, Northern Samar – 10:30 pm

Friday, May 15

• Ticao Island, Masbate – 12 am
• Burias Island, Masbate – 3 am
• San Andres, Quezon – 7:45 am
• Real, Quezon – 5 pm

At the moment, only two areas are left under Signal No. 1, which means winds of 30 to 60 km/h are expected. (READ: Why is it now called tropical cyclone ‘wind’ – and not ‘warning’ – signals?)

• Batanes
• Babuyan Islands

PAGASA also said Batanes and Babuyan Islands will have light to moderate rain in the next 24 hours. The rain may be heavy at times.

Travel is risky in the seaboards of the two areas as well, especially for small vessels.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has yet to report casualties from Ambo.

Tens of thousands of people earlier fled their homes as authorities enforced preemptive evacuation. (READ: Social distancing ‘per family’ at Typhoon Ambo evacuation centers)

Ambo is the Philippines’ first tropical cyclone for 2020. The country gets an average of 20 tropical cyclones per year. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2020)

In PAGASA’s climate outlook, it gave the following estimates for the number of tropical cyclones in the next 6 months:

• May – 1 or 2
• June – 1 or 2
• July – 2 to 4
• August – 2 or 3
• September – 2 or 3
• October – 2 or 3

– Rappler.com