MANILA, Philippines – Neneng (Nesat) strengthened from a tropical storm into a severe tropical storm at 2 am on Sunday, October 16, then made landfall in Calayan Island, Cagayan, at 3:50 am.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 5 am bulletin on Sunday that Neneng was already in the vicinity of Calayan Island, moving west northwest at 20 kilometers per hour (km/h). Calayan Island is part of Cagayan’s Babuyan Islands.

As it made landfall, Neneng had maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h and gustiness of up to 130 km/h.

Signal No. 3 was raised for the first time at 5 am on Sunday. Here are the areas under tropical cyclone wind signals:

Signal No. 3

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

• southern part of Batanes (Basco, Mahatao, Uyugan, Ivana, Sabtang)
• Babuyan Islands

Signal No. 2

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

• rest of Batanes
• rest of Cagayan
• Apayao
• northern part of Abra (Tineg, Lacub, Lagayan)
• Ilocos Norte

Signal No. 1

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

• northern and central parts of Isabela (Santa Maria, San Pablo, Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan, Ilagan City, Tumauini, Cabagan, Santo Tomas, Quezon, Delfin Albano, Mallig, Quirino, Gamu, Roxas, San Mariano, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Burgos, Reina Mercedes, San Manuel, Aurora, Luna, Cabatuan, San Mateo, Dinapigue, Cauayan City)
• Kalinga
• rest of Abra
• Mountain Province
• northern part of Ifugao (Aguinaldo, Alfonso Lista, Mayoyao, Hungduan, Banaue)
• northern and central parts of Ilocos Sur (Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan, Magsingal, Santo Domingo, San Ildefonso, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Bantay, Vigan City, Santa, Caoayan, Narvacan, Nagbukel, Santa Maria, San Esteban, Santiago, Burgos, Banayoyo, Lidlidda, San Emilio, Quirino, Gregorio del Pilar, Galimuyod, Candon City, Santa Lucia, Salcedo, Cervantes, Suyo, Sigay, Santa Cruz)

PAGASA also said there may be occasional gusts in most of Southern Luzon and the Visayas, as well as the eastern parts of Central Luzon, due to the southwesterly winds induced by the severe tropical storm.

The weather bureau also warned that rain from Neneng will continue until late Sunday afternoon. Floods and landslides are likely.

Until Sunday noon

Heavy to intense rain, with at times torrential rain

• Apayao
• Ilocos Norte
• northern part of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• Abra
• Kalinga
• northern part of Ilocos Sur
• rest of Cagayan

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• Batanes
• Mountain Province
• rest of Ilocos Sur
• northern part of Isabela

Sunday noon to late afternoon

Moderate to heavy rain

• Ilocos Norte

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• Apayao
• Abra
• Ilocos Sur

PAGASA added that Neneng’s trough or extension “and the convergence of its circulation” with the induced southwesterly winds could bring occasional rain to the following areas:

• western part of Mimaropa
• western part of Visayas
• northern and western parts of Mindanao

Meanwhile, a new gale warning was issued at 5 am on Sunday. Seas are rough to very rough in these seaboards due to Neneng and the northeasterly surface windflow:

• seaboards of Northern Luzon (Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte) – waves 3.4 to 5.5 meters high
• eastern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon (Isabela, Ilocos Sur) – waves 3.1 to 4.5 meters high
• western seaboard of Northern Luzon (La Union, Pangasinan) – waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high

PAGASA advised fishing boats and other small vessels not to sail, and larger vessels to watch out for big waves.

The weather bureau added that the surge of the northeasterly surface windflow and Neneng may cause moderate to rough seas in the eastern and western seaboards of Central Luzon as well as the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon. Waves could be 2 to 3.5 meters high, making conditions risky for small vessels.

PAGASA expects Neneng to move west or west northwest over the Luzon Strait until early Monday morning, October 17.

The severe tropical storm could leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Sunday evening or early Monday morning.

It is also likely to intensify further into a typhoon by Monday as it moves over the northern part of the West Philippine Sea.

Neneng is the Philippines’ 14th tropical cyclone for 2022 and the second for October.

PAGASA expects 5 to 9 tropical cyclones to enter or develop inside PAR from October 2022 to March 2023. Per month, these are the weather bureau’s estimates:

• October 2022 – 2 to 4
• November 2022 – 2 or 3
• December 2022 – 1 or 2
• January 2023 – 0 or 1
• February 2023 – 0 or 1
• March 2023 – 0 or 1

– Rappler.com