MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Aghon slightly strengthened while “meandering” or wobbling over Sariaya, Quezon, late Sunday morning, May 26, the weather bureau said.

Aghon has also been given the international name Ewiniar, a name contributed by Micronesia which refers to a “Chuuk traditional storm god.”

The tropical storm now has maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour from the previous 65 km/h. Its gustiness is now up to 125 km/h from 110 km/h.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also said in a briefing past 11 am that Aghon slowed down, moving northwest at 10 km/h from 15 km/h.

Its slower movement is bad news, especially for those in mainland Calabarzon and Polillo Islands, which Aghon will cross on Sunday. Nearby areas like Metro Manila are also feeling the effects of the tropical storm.

“Dahil doon sa recurving niya ay bumabagal siya. So ang paalala lang po ng PAGASA ay dahil medyo may kabagalan ‘yung takbo…ng tropical cyclone, medyo lumalakas din po ‘yung ating pag-uulan sa mga area kasi nabababad masyado ‘yung ating kaulapan doon sa isang area, so ang possibility po nito…ay magkakaroon ng mga pagbabaha or mga landslide,” said Roy Badilla, chief of PAGASA’s Hydro-Meteorology Division and officer-in-charge of the Office of the Deputy Administrator for Operations and Services.

(It’s slowing down because it’s recurving. PAGASA wants to remind the public that since the tropical cyclone is moving slowly, its rainbands are too concentrated on a certain area, bringing heavier rainfall which may cause floods and landslides.)

From 8 am on Saturday, May 25, to 8 am on Sunday, or a 24-hour period, these areas experienced the most rainfall, based on PAGASA data:

1. Mulanay, Quezon – 229.4 millimeters (mm)
2. Tayabas City, Quezon – 226.5 mm
3. Alabat, Quezon – 152.2 mm
4. Infanta, Quezon – 146.3 mm
5. Tanay, Rizal – 98.4 mm
6. Casiguran, Aurora – 77.5 mm
7. PAGASA Science Garden, Quezon City – 70.6 mm
8. Tanauan City, Batangas – 70.1 mm
9. Romblon, Romblon – 69.5 mm
10. Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro – 60.8 mm

The weather bureau’s rainfall forecast as of 11 am on Sunday shows moderate to torrential rain will continue.

Sunday noon, May 26, to Monday noon, May 27

• Greater than 200 mm: Quezon
• 100-200 mm: Aurora, eastern part of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Metro Manila, Camarines Norte
• 50-100 mm: eastern part of Isabela, Nueva Ecija, rest of Bulacan, eastern part of Pampanga, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, Burias Island, western part of Camarines Sur, Cuyo Islands, Aklan, Antique

Monday noon, May 27, to Tuesday noon, May 28

• 50-100 mm: eastern part of Isabela, northern part of Aurora, Polillo Islands

Tropical cyclone wind signals are in effect for the following areas as of 11 am on Sunday:

Signal No. 2

Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property

• northern and central parts of Quezon (Alabat, Perez, Quezon, Gumaca, Lopez, Macalelon, General Luna, Unisan, Pitogo, Plaridel, Agdangan, Padre Burgos, Atimonan, Mauban, Real, General Nakar, Infanta, Sampaloc, Pagbilao, Calauag, Lucban, Tayabas City, Lucena City, Tiaong, Candelaria, Sariaya, Dolores, San Antonio) including Polillo Islands
• Laguna
• eastern part of Batangas (Tanauan City, San Jose, Lipa City, Mataasnakahoy, Balete, Malvar, Santo Tomas, Cuenca, San Pascual, Batangas City, Ibaan, Padre Garcia, Rosario, San Juan, Taysan, Lobo)
• eastern part of Rizal (Jala-Jala, Pililla, Tanay, Cardona, Binangonan, Morong, Baras)

Signal No. 1

Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property

• southeastern part of Isabela (Palanan, Dinapigue)
• southern part of Quirino (Maddela, Nagtipunan)
• southern part of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castañeda, Dupax del Sur, Dupax del Norte)
• eastern and southern parts of Nueva Ecija (General Tinio, Gabaldon, Bongabon, Pantabangan, Rizal, General Mamerto Natividad, Laur, Palayan City, Peñaranda, San Leonardo, Gapan City, Cabanatuan City, Santa Rosa, San Isidro, Cabiao, San Antonio, Jaen, Zaragoza, Aliaga, Talavera, Llanera)
• southern part of Bataan (Orani, Samal, Balanga City, Abucay, Pilar, Orion, Limay, Mariveles, Bagac)
• Aurora
• eastern part of Pampanga (Candaba, San Luis, San Simon, Apalit, Santa Ana, Arayat, Mexico, Santa Rita, Guagua, Sasmuan, Macabebe, Masantol, Santo Tomas, Minalin, San Fernando City, Bacolor, Lubao)
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila
• rest of Quezon
• rest of Rizal
• Cavite
• rest of Batangas
• northern and central parts of Oriental Mindoro (Pinamalayan, Pola, Naujan, Victoria, Socorro, Calapan City, Bansud, Gloria, Baco, San Teodoro, Puerto Galera, Bongabong)
• Marinduque
• extreme northern part of Romblon (Concepcion, Corcuera, Banton)
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur

The weather bureau also warned that there is a “minimal to moderate risk” of storm surges over the “exposed and low-lying coastal areas” of Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay (west coast), Burias Island, mainland Masbate (northwest coast), and Aklan.

In addition, a new gale warning was issued at 11 am for the coastal waters of Aurora, Quezon, and Marinduque, as well as the southern coastal waters of Batangas and the northern coastal waters of Camarines Norte. PAGASA said travel is risky for small vessels, “including all motorbancas of any type of tonnage.”

Outside those areas under the gale warning, Aghon will still cause moderate to rough seas in the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon and the seaboard of Bicol. Waves are 1.5 to 3.5 meters high, so small boats must take precautionary measures, or if possible, avoid sailing altogether.

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Earlier, Aghon made landfall eight times in a roughly 29-hour period:

Friday, May 24

• Homonhon Island, Guiuan, Eastern Samar – 11:20 pm

Saturday, May 25

• Giporlos, Eastern Samar – 12:40 am
• Basiao Island, Catbalogan City, Samar – 4 am
• Cagduyong Island, Catbalogan City, Samar – 5 am
• Batuan, Ticao Island, Masbate – 10:20 am
• Masbate City, Masbate – 10:40 am
• Torrijos, Marinduque – 10 pm

Sunday, May 26

• Lucena City, Quezon – 4:30 am

Aghon is likely to remain a tropical storm as it crosses Calabarzon, but it might also weaken into a tropical depression because of “land interaction,” PAGASA said.

By Sunday evening or early Monday morning, May 27, Aghon may already be off the eastern coast of Quezon or Aurora.

Starting Monday, Aghon is expected to gradually speed up northeast while intensifying. It may become a severe tropical storm on Monday and a typhoon by Tuesday afternoon or evening, May 28.

It is projected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday, May 29.

Aghon is the country’s 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