MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Aghon slightly intensified early Friday afternoon, May 24, with its maximum sustained winds increasing from 45 kilometers per hour to 55 km/h.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also said in its 2 pm bulletin on Friday that Aghon’s gustiness is now up to 70 km/h from the previous 55 km/h.

The tropical depression was last spotted 135 kilometers east northeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.

It maintained its west northwest direction, but accelerated from 10 km/h to 25 km/h.

PAGASA stressed that rain from Aghon may cause floods and landslides. Here is the weather bureau’s rainfall forecast as of 2 pm on Friday:

Friday afternoon, May 24, to Saturday afternoon, May 25

• 100-200 millimeters (mm): Albay, Sorsogon, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands
• 50-100 mm: Surigao del Sur, rest of Eastern Visayas, Masbate including Ticao and Burias islands, Catanduanes, eastern part of Camarines Sur, Western Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte

Saturday afternoon, May 25, to Sunday afternoon, May 26

• 100-200 mm: Bicol, Northern Samar
• 50-100 mm: rest of Eastern Visayas, southern part of Quezon including Polillo Islands

Sunday afternoon, May 26, to Monday afternoon, May 27

• 50-100 mm: Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur

The list of areas under Signal No. 1 was also expanded. Strong winds will hit the following:

• Sorsogon
• Albay
• Catanduanes
• Camarines Sur
• Camarines Norte (San Vicente, San Lorenzo Ruiz, Basud, Daet, Talisay, Mercedes)
• Masbate including Ticao Island and Burias Island
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Northern Samar
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• Biliran
• Camotes Islands
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte including Siargao Island and Bucas Grande Island
• Surigao del Sur
• Agusan del Sur (Sibagat, Bayugan City, Prosperidad, San Francisco, Rosario, Bunawan, Trento)
• Agusan del Norte

PAGASA added that Aghon is causing moderate to rough seas, with waves 1.5 to 3.5 meters high, in the northern and eastern seaboards of Eastern Visayas and the eastern seaboard of Caraga on Friday afternoon. It advised small boats to take precautionary measures, or if possible, to avoid sailing altogether.

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Aghon is still likely to move west northwest to northwest from Friday to Saturday, May 25, “while slowly intensifying,” according to PAGASA.

It could either make a close approach to Eastern Visayas or make landfall within the region on Saturday morning as a tropical storm.

Then it may pass north northwest over Eastern Visayas, and emerge over the waters off Bicol’s eastern coast on Saturday evening, still as a tropical storm.

But PAGASA is not ruling out “a slightly earlier landfall” in Eastern Visayas and “direct passage” in the vicinity of Bicol since it has observed a westward shift in Aghon’s possible track.

On Sunday, May 26, Aghon may start recurving northeast or north northeast over the waters east of Luzon “while starting to continuously intensify.”

It could strengthen into a severe tropical storm by Sunday morning, then into a typhoon by Monday, May 27 – earlier than previously projected.

Aghon’s exit from the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) may be on Tuesday, May 28.

Aghon is the Philippines’ first tropical cyclone for 2024. (READ: LIST: Philippine tropical cyclone names in 2024)

PAGASA previously estimated that one or two tropical cyclones could form within or enter PAR in May. – Rappler.com