MANILA, Philippines – Severe Tropical Storm Florita (Ma-on) accelerated and reached the coastal waters of Isabela province early Tuesday morning, August 23.

In a bulletin at 8 am on Tuesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Florita was already over the coastal waters of Palanan, Isabela, moving north northwest at 20 kilometers per hour (km/h), doubling its speed.

There are now two scenarios for Florita’s landfall:

• Isabela (Palanan, Maconacon, or Divilacan) on Tuesday morning
• Cagayan (Gattaran, Baggao, or Peñablanca) before Tuesday noon or by early afternoon

Florita still has maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h and gustiness of up to 115 km/h, but PAGASA is not ruling out the possibility of slight intensification before landfall.

The weather bureau updated its rainfall forecast for Florita as of 8 am:

Tuesday, August 23

Heavy to intense rain, with at times torrential rain

• Cagayan
• Isabela
• Cordillera Administrative Region
• Ilocos Region
• Zambales

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• rest of Cagayan Valley
• northern part of Aurora
• Bataan
• Tarlac
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila
• Cavite
• Rizal

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• rest of Central Luzon
• rest of Calabarzon
• Camarines Norte

Early Wednesday morning to afternoon, August 24

Heavy to intense rain, with at times torrential rain

• Ilocos Region

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• Benguet
• Abra

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• rest of Cordillera Administrative Region

Florita is still enhancing the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat, which is bringing rain to Western Visayas, Mimaropa, and other parts of Bicol on Tuesday.

Both Florita and the southwest monsoon can cause floods and landslides.

Meanwhile, tropical cyclone wind signals are in effect in the following areas as of 8 am:

Signal No. 3

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

• southern part of Babuyan Islands (Camiguin Island, Fuga Island, Dalupiri Island)
• northern and eastern parts of mainland Cagayan (Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros, Aparri, Buguey, Camalaniugan, Santa Teresita, Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Lal-lo, Gattaran, Baggao, Peñablanca)
• eastern part of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan)

Signal No. 2

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

• rest of mainland Cagayan
• rest of Babuyan Islands
• rest of Isabela
• Quirino
• northern and eastern parts of Nueva Vizcaya (Quezon, Diadi, Bagabag, Villaverde, Solano, Kasibu)
• Apayao
• Abra
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• northern part of Benguet (Buguias, Bakun, Mankayan, Kibungan)
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• northern part of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao)

Signal No. 1

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

• Batanes
• rest of Nueva Vizcaya
• rest of Benguet
• La Union
• Pangasinan
• eastern part of Tarlac (San Clemente, Camiling, Moncada, San Manuel, Anao, Santa Ignacia, Gerona, Paniqui, Ramos, Pura, Victoria, La Paz, Tarlac City, Concepcion)
• Nueva Ecija
• rest of Aurora
• eastern part of Pampanga (Magalang, Arayat, Candaba)
• eastern part of Bulacan (San Ildefonso, San Miguel, Doña Remedios Trinidad, San Rafael, Angat, Norzagaray, San Jose del Monte City)
• eastern part of Rizal (Rodriguez, San Mateo, Antipolo City, Tanay, Baras)
• northern part of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta, Real, Mauban, Perez, Alabat, Quezon, Calauag) including Polillo Islands
• northern part of Laguna (Santa Maria, Famy, Siniloan, Pangil, Pakil, Paete)
• Camarines Norte

PAGASA added that gusts may be experienced in the following areas on Tuesday:

• Metro Manila
• Zambales
• Bataan
• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro
• Marinduque
• Romblon
• Northern Samar
• Antique
• Aklan
• rest of Calabarzon
• rest of Bicol

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PAGASA also warned of dangerous coastal conditions due to Florita and the southwest monsoon.

• seaboards of Northern Luzon – rough to high seas, with waves 3.5 to 7 meters high
• eastern seaboards of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon – rough to very rough seas, with waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high
• western seaboards of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, and Visayas – rough seas, with waves 2.8 to 4 meters high
• remaining seaboards of Southern Luzon and Visayas – moderate to rough seas, with waves 1.2 to 2.8 meters high

The weather bureau said rough to high seas are risky for all vessels, while small vessels should not sail if seas are rough to very rough.

Moderate to rough seas may also be risky for small vessels.

Florita is projected to cross Northern Luzon on Tuesday and emerge over the West Philippine Sea in the evening.

It is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday morning, August 24.

Florita is the country’s sixth tropical cyclone for 2022. – Rappler.com