Tropical Depression Auring (Dujuan) made landfall in Batag Island in Laoang, Northern Samar, at 9 am on Monday, February 22.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced Auring’s landfall on its Facebook page past 11:30 am on Monday.

The tropical depression was earlier expected to make landfall in Eastern Samar, but its center “relocated,” according to the state weather bureau. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

In a separate bulletin, PAGASA said Auring is already 30 kilometers northeast of Catarman, Northern Samar.

The tropical depression is moving north northwest at 15 kilometers per hour (km/h), heading for the Albay-Sorsogon area.

Auring maintained its strength late Monday morning, with maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h and gustiness of up to 55 km/h. But as it crosses land, it is expected to “weaken considerably due to significant terrain interaction,” and it may become just a remnant low within 24 hours or sooner.

While Auring looks set to weaken, there will still be heavy rain on Monday until Tuesday, February 23. Here is PAGASA’s latest rainfall forecast:

Monday, February 22

Moderate to heavy rain

• Northern Samar
• Bicol
• Marinduque
• Romblon
• Quezon

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• Samar
• northern part of Eastern Samar
• Western Visayas
• rest of Mimaropa
• Rizal
• Aurora

Tuesday, February 23

Moderate to heavy rain

• Camarines Norte
• Quezon
• Aurora

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• Camarines Sur
• rest of Calabarzon
• Metro Manila
• Mimaropa
• Bulacan
• Nueva Ecija
• Isabela
• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Batanes

PAGASA said isolated to scattered floods and rain-induced landslides are still likely during periods of heavy rain. Auring, as a tropical storm, earlier caused floods in Surigao del Sur. (IN PHOTOS: Surigao del Sur flooded due to Tropical Storm Auring)

Meanwhile, fewer areas remain under Signal No. 1 as of 11 am on Monday:

• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Albay
• Catanduanes
• eastern part of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Presentacion, Sagñay, Buhi, Iriga City, Nabua, Bato, Balatan)
• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Biliran

PAGASA said Auring and the northeast monsoon or hanging amihan combined will continue to trigger “strong breeze conditions with occasionally higher gusts” in areas under Signal No. 1.

Similar windy conditions will be experienced in the rest of Bicol and Eastern Visayas, as well as Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Aurora, Quezon, Marinduque, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, Cuyo Islands, Cagayancillo Islands, and Western Visayas.

Image from PAGASA

PAGASA also updated its forecast for coastal waters in the next 24 hours.

Rough seas

Travel is risky, especially for small vessels

• seaboards of areas under Signal No. 1, eastern seaboard of Central Luzon, eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon not under Signal No. 1 (waves 2.5 to 3.5 meters high)
• southern seaboard of Luzon and remaining seaboards of Eastern Visayas (waves 2.5 to 3 meters high)

Moderate to rough seas

Small vessels must take precautionary measures, inexperienced mariners should avoid navigation

• remaining seaboards of Luzon and Visayas, and northern, eastern, and western seaboards of Mindanao not under Signal No. 1 (waves 1.2 to 2.5 meters high)

Auring is the Philippines’ first tropical cyclone for 2021.

An average of 20 tropical cyclones form within or enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) each year. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2021)

These are PAGASA’s latest estimates for the number of tropical cyclones inside PAR in the next 6 months:

• February – 0 or 1
• March – 0 or 1
• April – 0 or 1
• May – 0 or 1
• June – 1 or 2
• July – 2 or 3

PAGASA earlier said La Niña is expected to continue until March 2021, causing above normal rainfall in the country. The onset of La Niña was declared in October 2020. – Rappler.com