MANILA, Philippines – Tropical cyclone wind signals were raised for more areas on Friday morning, October 28, as Tropical Storm Paeng (Nalgae) accelerated over the Philippine Sea.

Paeng was already 220 kilometers east northeast of Borongan City, Eastern Samar, or 305 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar, based on the bulletin issued at 11 am on Friday by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

The tropical storm is moving west northwest at 25 kilometers per hour from the previous 15 km/h. It is expected to maintain that direction until Sunday, October 30.

Based on its latest forecast track, Paeng could make its first landfall in Catanduanes early Saturday morning, October 29, then cross the northern part of Camarines Sur and the eastern part of Camarines Norte.

By Sunday, Paeng might make its second landfall in the east coast of Quezon, including Polillo Islands, or Aurora.

Paeng maintained its strength on Friday morning, with maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h and gustiness of up to 90 km/h.

It is still seen to intensify into a severe tropical storm on Friday, but it is no longer expected to reach typhoon status due to its potential landfall in Bicol. A tropical cyclone gains strength from warm seas.

Here are the areas under tropical cyclone wind signals as of 11 am on Friday:

Signal No. 2

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

• Catanduanes
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Camarines Sur
• Camarines Norte
• central and southern parts of Quezon (Atimonan, Pagbilao, Padre Burgos, Agdangan, Unisan, Plaridel, Gumaca, Pitogo, Macalelon, General Luna, Catanauan, Lopez, Calauag, Quezon, Alabat, Perez, Tagkawayan, Guinayangan, Buenavista, Mulanay, San Narciso, San Andres, San Francisco)
• Marinduque
• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• northeastern part of Leyte (Tacloban City, Babatngon, San Miguel, Barugo)
• Biliran

Signal No. 1

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

• Metro Manila
• Bataan
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• southeastern part of Tarlac (Concepcion, La Paz)
• central and southern parts of Nueva Ecija (Gapan City, San Leonardo, Santo Domingo, Rizal, San Isidro, Laur, Zaragoza, Llanera, Aliaga, Palayan City, Gabaldon, General Mamerto Natividad, Cabanatuan City, Quezon, San Antonio, General Tinio, Santa Rosa, Peñaranda, Jaen, Licab, Bongabon, Cabiao, Talavera)
• southern part of Aurora (Dingalan, San Luis, Maria Aurora, Baler)
• Cavite
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Rizal
• rest of Quezon including Polillo Islands
• Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands
• Oriental Mindoro
• Romblon
• Calamian Islands
• rest of Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• northern and central parts of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remigio, Tabogon, Bogo City, Borbon, Tabuelan, Sogod, Catmon, Tuburan, Carmen, Danao City, Asturias, Balamban, Compostela, Liloan, Cebu City, Mandaue City, Consolacion, Toledo City, Talisay City, Naga City, Pinamungahan, Minglanilla, Aloguinsan, San Fernando, Carcar City, Barili, Sibonga, Dumanjug, Argao, Alcantara, Moalboal, Ronda, Badian, Dalaguete, Lapu-Lapu City, Cordova) including Bantayan and Camotes Islands
• Bohol
• northern and central parts of Negros Occidental (Sagay City, Cadiz City, Escalante City, Manapla, Enrique B. Magalona, Victorias City, Silay City, Talisay City, Murcia, Bacolod City, Bago City, Pulupandan, Valladolid, La Carlota City, La Castellana, San Enrique, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Moises Padilla, Isabela, San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto, Calatrava, Toboso, Binalbagan, Himamaylan City)
• northern part of Negros Oriental (Guihulngan City, Vallehermoso, Canlaon City, La Libertad, Jimalalud, Tayasan)
• Guimaras
• Aklan
• northern and central parts of Antique (Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, Culasi, Tibiao, Barbaza, Laua-an, Bugasong, Valderrama, Patnongon, San Remigio, Caluya Islands)
• Capiz
• northern and central parts of Iloilo (Calinog, New Lucena, Maasin, Estancia, Batad, Oton, Concepcion, Pavia, Duelas, Balasan, Barotac Nuevo, Ajuy, Iloilo City, Anilao, San Dionisio, San Miguel, Mina, Santa Barbara, Barotac Viejo, Leganes, Carles, Dingle, Zarraga, Bingawan, Cabatuan, Alimodian, Dumangas, San Rafael, San Enrique, Badiangan, Banate, Passi City, Pototan, Lambunao, Lemery, Sara, Janiuay, Leon, Tigbauan, Tubungan, Igbaras, Guimbal)
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands
• northern part of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes, Tandag City, Bayabas, Tago, Cagwait)
• northern part of Agusan del Norte (Kitcharao, Jabonga, Santiago)

The highest possible wind signal is now Signal No. 3 since Paeng is expected to peak at severe tropical storm status.

Paeng is also enhancing the surge of the northeast monsoon or hanging amihan, which is bringing strong winds to these areas:

• Batanes
• Babuyan Islands
• northern and eastern parts of mainland Cagayan
• eastern part of Isabela
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• northern part of Apayao

Aside from winds, Paeng is bringing massive rainfall to parts of the country, with floods and landslides already reported in various areas.

Below is PAGASA’s updated rainfall forecast as of 11 am on Friday.

Friday, October 28, to early Saturday morning, October 29

Heavy to intense rain, with at times torrential rain

• Bicol
• Eastern Visayas

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• Quezon
• Mimaropa
• rest of Visayas
• Caraga
• Zamboanga Peninsula
• Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
• Northern Mindanao

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• Metro Manila
• Cagayan Valley
• rest of Calabarzon
• Aurora
• rest of Mindanao

Saturday morning, October 29, to Sunday morning, October 30

Heavy to intense rain, with at times torrential rain

• Calabarzon
• Bicol
• Aurora
• Isabela
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino

Moderate to heavy rain, with at times intense rain

• Metro Manila
• mainland Cagayan
• Cordillera Administrative Region
• rest of Central Luzon
• Marinduque
• Romblon
• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro
• Western Visayas

Light to moderate rain, with at times heavy rain

• rest of Luzon
• rest of Visayas
• Zamboanga Peninsula

PAGASA added that areas covered by the rainfall forecast may be updated in its next bulletins “should there be significant shifts in the track and intensity forecast of Paeng.”

Classes have been suspended in some areas for Friday.

PAGASA also warned that there is a minimal to moderate risk of storm surges up to 2 meters high, which may cause floods in the “low-lying and exposed coastal areas” of the following:

• eastern part of Aurora
• eastern part of Quezon including Polillo Islands
• Catanduanes
• Albay
• Camarines Norte
• northern and eastern parts of Camarines Sur

Due to both Paeng and the northeast monsoon, a gale warning which was issued at 5 am on Friday remains in effect. Rough to very rough seas are expected in these seaboards:

• eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon and Visayas (northern and eastern coasts of Quezon including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, northern and eastern coasts of Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, eastern coast of Albay, eastern coast of Sorsogon, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar) – waves 3.4 to 6 meters high
• eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon and Central Luzon (eastern coast of Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora) – waves 3.1 to 5.5 meters high
• northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon (Batanes, northern coast of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan) – waves 3.1 to 5.5 meters high
• eastern seaboard of Mindanao (eastern coast of Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, eastern coast of Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Sur, eastern coast of Davao Oriental) – waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high

PAGASA advised fishing boats and other small vessels not to sail, and larger vessels to watch out for big waves. Sea trips have been canceled in areas affected by Paeng.

Paeng is the Philippines’ 16th tropical cyclone for 2022 and the fourth for October. PAGASA earlier said there may be up to four tropical cyclones during the month. – Rappler.com