Tropical Depression Vicky made landfall in the municipality of Baganga in the province of Davao Oriental at 2 pm on Friday, December 18.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced the development on social media past 2 pm on Friday.

PAGASA later said in its 5 pm bulletin that Vicky was already in the vicinity of Monkayo, Davao de Oro, moving west northwest at 15 kilometers per hour (km/h).

The tropical depression is crossing other parts of Mindanao for the rest of Friday.

By early Saturday morning, December 19, it is seen to emerge over the Bohol Sea, pass close to Siquijor or Misamis Occidental, then pass close to or make its 2nd landfall over the southern part of Negros Island. By Saturday morning or afternoon, it is likely to be already over the Sulu Sea.

Vicky continues to have maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h, while its gustiness is up to 75 km/h. PAGASA said it will likely stay a tropical depression while crossing parts of the Philippines. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Though Vicky is just a tropical depression, it is triggering heavy rain, along with the tail-end of a frontal system or shear line. Floods and landslides have hit parts of Mindanao.

Until Friday evening, December 18

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• Caraga
• Davao Oriental
• Davao de Oro
• Davao del Norte
• Bukidnon
• Misamis Oriental
• Camiguin
• Southern Leyte
• Leyte
• Bohol

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• rest of Davao Region
• rest of Northern Mindanao
• Lanao del Sur
• Zamboanga del Norte
• rest of Visayas
• Bicol
• Mimaropa
• Calabarzon

Saturday, December 19

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• Bicol
• Quezon
• northern part of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Islands
• Eastern Visayas
• Central Visayas

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• rest of Calabarzon
• rest of Mimaropa
• mainland Cagayan Valley
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila
• rest of Visayas
• Camiguin
• Dinagat Islands

Signal No. 1 remains up in the following areas, where “strong breeze to near gale conditions” are expected due to Vicky:

• northern and central parts of Palawan (Puerto Princesa City, Roxas, San Vicente, Dumaran, Araceli, Taytay, El Nido) including Calamian, Cuyo, and Cagayancillo Islands
• southern part of Leyte (Baybay City, Javier, Abuyog, Mahaplag, Inopacan, Hindang, Hilongos, Bato, Matalom, Palompon, Merida, Isabel)
• Southern Leyte
• central and southern parts of Cebu (Borbon, Tabuelan, Tuburan, Sogod, Catmon, Carmen, Asturias, Danao City, Compostela, Liloan, Consolacion, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Cordoba, Balamban, Cebu City, Talisay City, Toledo City, Minglanilla, Naga City, Pinamungahan, San Fernando, Aloguinsan, Carcar, Barili, Sibonga, Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Argao, Dalaguete, Badian, Alegria, Alcoy, Boljoon, Oslob, Malabuyoc, Ginatilan, Samboan, Santander) including Camotes Islands
• Bohol
• Siquijor
• Negros Oriental
• Negros Occidental
• Guimaras
• central and southern parts of Iloilo (Ajuy, Barotac Viejo, San Enrique, San Rafael, Passi City, Bingawan, Calinog, Lambunao, Janiuay, Banate, Anilao, Dingle, Duenas, Badiangan, Barotac Nuevo, Zarraga, Pototan, Dumangas, Mina, New Lucena, Santa Barbara, Leganes, Iloilo City, Pavia, Cabatuan, Maasin, Alimodian, San Miguel, Leon, Oton, Tigbauan, Tubungan, Guimbal, Igbaras, Miagao, San Joaquin)
• southern part of Antique (Valderrama, San Remigio, Sibalom, Hamtic, Tobias Fornier, Anini-y, Bugasong, Laua-an, Patnongon, San Jose, Belison)
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte
• Surigao del Sur
• Agusan del Norte
• Agusan del Sur
• Davao Oriental
• Davao del Norte
• Davao de Oro
• Davao City
• northern part of Davao del Sur (Santa Cruz, Digos City, Bansalan, Magsaysay, Matanao, Hagonoy)
• Camiguin
• Bukidnon
• Misamis Oriental
• Misamis Occidental
• Lanao del Norte
• Lanao del Sur
• Maguindanao
• Cotabato City
• North Cotabato
• Zamboanga del Sur
• Zamboanga Sibugay
• northern part of Zamboanga del Norte (Baliguian, Gutalac, Kalawit, Labason, Tampilisan, Liloy, Salug, Bacungan, Godod, Sindangan, Siayan, Jose Dalman, Manukan, Sergio Osmeña Sr, President Manuel A. Roxas, Katipunan, Dipolog City, Polanco, Pinan, Mutia, La Libertad, Dapitan City, Sibutad, Rizal)

Vicky and the surge of the northeast monsoon or hanging amihan combined will continue to cause rough to very rough seas in the next 24 hours. Waves will be 2.5 to 4.5 meters high in the following:

• entire seaboards of Northern Luzon
• seaboard of Aurora
• eastern seaboard of Quezon including Polillo Islands
• seaboard of Camarines Norte
• northern seaboard of Camarines Sur
• northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes
• eastern seaboard of Albay including Rapu-Rapu Islands
• eastern seaboard of Sorsogon
• northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar
• eastern seaboard of Eastern Samar including Homonhon Island

PAGASA added that seas will stay moderate to rough, with waves 2 to 4 meters high, in the coastal waters of areas under Signal No. 1.

Travel is risky, especially for small sea vessels, said the state weather bureau.

Vicky could leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Sunday, December 20.

Image from PAGASA

Vicky is the Philippines’ 22nd tropical cyclone for 2020 – exceeding the yearly average of 20 – and the 1st for December. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2020)

For December 2020 and January-June 2021, these are PAGASA’s estimates for tropical cyclones inside PAR:

• December 2020 – 1 or 2
• January 2021 – 0 or 1
• February 2021 – 0 or 1
• March 2021 – 0 or 1
• April 2021 – 0 or 1
• May 2021 – 0 or 1
• June 2021 – 1 or 2

La Niña has been underway since October, causing more rain than usual in the country. – Rappler.com