MANILA, Philippines – Parts of Mindanao and the Visayas were placed under Signal No. 1 late Tuesday evening, December 14, following the entry of Severe Tropical Storm Odette (Rai) into the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

Odette, which entered PAR at 7 pm on Tuesday, was last spotted 890 kilometers east of Mindanao, moving west northwest at 15 kilometers per hour (km/h).

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the severe tropical storm has maximum sustained winds of 100 km/h and gustiness of up to 125 km/h.

It could strengthen into a typhoon within 12 hours, or within the first half of Wednesday, December 15, and reach a peak intensity of 155 km/h before hitting land.

Signal No. 1 was raised for the following areas as of 11 pm on Tuesday, which means strong winds are expected within 36 hours:

• southeastern part of Eastern Samar (Guiuan, Mercedes, Salcedo)
• Dinagat Islands
• eastern part of Surigao del Norte (Claver, Surigao City, Tagana-an, Placer, Gigaquit, Bacuag) including Siargao Island and Bucas Grande Island
• northern part of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Cortes, Carmen, Lanuza)

The highest possible tropical cyclone wind signal due to Odette is Signal No. 3. “Destructive typhoon-force winds” could hit areas in its path.

In terms of rainfall, PAGASA said Odette’s trough or extension and its outermost rainbands will already be felt on Wednesday, even though it remains hundreds of kilometers away from land.

The heaviest rainfall will be experienced on Thursday, December 16 – the day Odette could make landfall in Caraga or Eastern Visayas, either in the afternoon or evening – and on Friday, December 17, as it continues crossing Central Visayas and Western Visayas.

Odette could then emerge over the Sulu Sea on Friday morning or afternoon, pass near to or over the Cuyo archipelago, and cross the northern part of Palawan on Friday evening.

Here are the areas expected to see rain from Odette:

Wednesday, December 15

• Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain – Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands

Thursday, December 16

• Heavy to intense rain, with at times torrential rain – Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental
• Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain – Leyte, Southern Leyte, southern part of Eastern Samar, Bohol, Siquijor, rest of Caraga
• Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain – Bicol, Zamboanga del Norte, rest of Visayas, rest of Northern Mindanao

Friday, December 17

• Heavy to intense rain, with at times torrential rain – Central Visayas, Western Visayas, the part of Palawan including Cuyo and Cagayancillo Islands
• Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain – rest of Visayas, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, central part of Palawan, Calamian Islands, Dinagat Islands
• Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain – Bicol, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga del Norte, Quezon, rest of Mimaropa, rest of Caraga

The weather bureau warned that scattered to widespread floods and landslides are expected.

Odette and the northeast monsoon or hanging amihan also prompted PAGASA to declare a gale warning for the following, with rough to very rough waters seen:

• seaboards of Northern Luzon
• eastern seaboard of Central Luzon
• eastern and western seaboards of Southern Luzon and Visayas
• eastern seaboard of Mindanao

Moderate to rough seas, meanwhile, are expected in:

• remaining seaboards of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, Visayas
• western and northern seaboards of Mindanao

PAGASA said Odette “may see some slight weakening as it crosses the Visayas and Palawan,” but it is likely to remain a typhoon. It could also reintensify once it is already over the West Philippine Sea.

Odette is the Philippines’ 15th tropical cyclone for 2021. Around 20 form within or enter PAR each year.

Here are PAGASA’s estimates for tropical cyclones in the coming months:

• December 2021 – 1 or 2
• January 2022 – 0 or 1
• February 2022 – 0 or 1
• March 2022 – 0 or 1
• April 2022 – 0 or 1
• May 2022 – 1 or 2

– Rappler.com