Tropical Depression Vicky made landfall in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, at 8 pm on Saturday, December 19.

It was Vicky’s 2nd landfall, after it hit Baganga, Davao Oriental, at 2 pm on Friday, December 18.

At least two people have been reported dead in Leyte, as the tropical depression caused massive floods in parts of Mindanao and the Visayas. (READ: #ReliefPH: Help communities affected by Tropical Depression Vicky)

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 11 pm bulletin on Saturday that Vicky has already crossed Palawan and is now back over water, at 80 kilometers northwest of Puerto Princesa City.

The tropical depression is moving northwest at 25 kilometers per hour (km/h), and would continue moving over the West Philippine Sea until Sunday, December 20. It is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Sunday afternoon or evening.

Vicky also slightly intensified late Saturday evening. It now has maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h from the previous 45 km/h and gustiness of up to 85 km/h from the previous 55 km/h.

PAGASA said Vicky could strengthen into a tropical storm in the next 24 hours, as it makes its way out of PAR. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

The state weather bureau also warned that Vicky and the tail-end of a frontal system will trigger more rain in Luzon, which may cause more floods and landslides. Here is the latest list of areas to be affected:

Sunday, December 20

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• mainland Cagayan Valley
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Aurora
• Quezon
• Bicol
• northern part of Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• Babuyan Islands
• rest of Cordillera Administrative Region
• rest of Calabarzon
• rest of Mimaropa
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila

Monday, December 21

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• Babuyan Islands
• mainland Cagayan Valley
• northern part of Aurora
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• rest of Aurora
• rest of Cordillera Administrative Region
• Quezon
• Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands

Meanwhile, Signal No. 1 is still up over the northern and central parts of Palawan (Araceli, Dumaran, Taytay, El Nido, San Vicente, Roxas, Puerto Princesa City, Aborlan, Narra, Quezon, Sofronio Española), including Calamian, Cuyo, and Kalayaan Islands. “Strong breeze to near gale conditions” are being experienced.

Gusty conditions may persist in most of Luzon, too, due to the surge of the northeast monsoon or hanging amihan, according to PAGASA.

Sea travel will also stay risky in the next 24 hours because of Vicky and the surge of the northeast monsoon.

Rough to very rough seas (waves 2.5 to 5.5 meters high)

• entire seaboards of Northern Luzon
• entire seaboards of Central Luzon
• eastern seaboard of Quezon including Polillo Islands
• seaboard of Camarines Norte
• northern seaboard of Camarines Sur
• northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes

Rough seas (waves 2.5 to 4 meters high)

• seaboards of areas under Signal No. 1
• eastern seaboard of Albay including Rapu-Rapu Islands
• eastern seaboard of Sorsogon
• seaboard of Zambales
• western seaboard of Bataan
• western seaboard of Batangas
• western seaboard of Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island
• northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar
• eastern seaboard of Eastern Samar including Homonhon Island
• eastern seaboard of Dinagat Islands
• eastern seaboard of Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands
• eastern seaboard of Surigao del Sur
• eastern seaboard of Davao Oriental

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