MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Nika (Toraji) was already over the Cordillera Administrative Region early Monday afternoon, November 11, after making landfall in Aurora in the morning then passing through Isabela.
In its 2 pm bulletin on Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Nika was located in the vicinity of Lagawe, Ifugao, at 1 pm. It is moving west northwest at 25 kilometers per hour (km/h).
The typhoon still has maximum sustained winds of 130 km/h, but its gustiness is now up to 215 km/h from the previous 180 km/h.
Nika could be downgraded to a severe tropical storm while crossing the landmass of mainland Luzon, but it will still be bringing strong winds and heavy rain.
It is expected to emerge over the sea west of Ilocos Sur on Monday afternoon or evening, then move over the West Philippine Sea and leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Tuesday morning, November 12.
From Monday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon, or in the next 24 hours, rain will persist in the following provinces:
- Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 millimeters): Aurora, Cagayan, Isabela, Abra, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, Apayao
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pangasinan
For winds, the same areas remain under Signal Nos. 2, 3, and 4, while Signal No. 1 has been lifted in several places as of 2 pm on Monday. Here is the latest list of areas covered by tropical cyclone wind signals:
Signal No. 4
Typhoon-force winds (118 to 184 km/h), significant to severe threat to life and property
- northernmost part of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran)
- central and southern parts of Isabela (Dinapigue, San Mariano, San Guillermo, Jones, Echague, Ramon, San Isidro, Santiago City, Cordon, Roxas, Burgos, Reina Mercedes, Naguilian, Benito Soliven, Gamu, San Manuel, Aurora, San Mateo, Cabatuan, Alicia, Luna, Cauayan City, Angadanan, Quezon, Mallig, Quirino, Ilagan City, Delfin Albano, San Agustin)
- Kalinga
- Mountain Province
- northern part of Ifugao (Aguinaldo, Mayoyao, Alfonso Lista, Banaue, Hungduan, Hingyon, Lagawe)
- central and southern parts of Abra (Manabo, Pidigan, San Juan, Tayum, Langiden, Luba, Boliney, Sallapadan, Bucloc, Lagangilang, Tubo, Danglas, Villaviciosa, La Paz, Licuan-Baay, Pilar, Malibcong, Peñarrubia, San Isidro, Daguioman, San Quintin, Dolores, Lagayan, Bangued, Bucay, Lacub)
- northern and central parts of Ilocos Sur (Cabugao, Sinait, San Juan, San Emilio, Lidlidda, Banayoyo, Santiago, San Esteban, Burgos, Santa Maria, Magsingal, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Nagbukel, San Ildefonso, Vigan City, Caoayan, Santa, Bantay, Santo Domingo, Narvacan, Quirino, Cervantes, Sigay, Salcedo, Santa Lucia, Candon City, Galimuyod, Gregorio del Pilar, Santa Cruz)
Signal No. 3
Storm-force winds (89 to 117 km/h), moderate to significant threat to life and property
- central part of Aurora (Dinalungan)
- northern part of Quirino (Diffun, Cabarroguis, Aglipay, Saguday, Maddela)
- northeastern part of Nueva Vizcaya (Diadi, Bagabag, Quezon, Solano, Villaverde, Kasibu, Ambaguio, Bayombong)
- rest of Isabela
- southwestern part of Cagayan (Enrile, Solana, Tuao, Tuguegarao City, Rizal, Piat)
- southern part of Apayao (Conner, Kabugao)
- rest of Abra
- rest of Ifugao
- northern part of Benguet (Buguias, Mankayan, Bakun)
- southern part of Ilocos Norte (Laoag City, Sarrat, San Nicolas, Piddig, Marcos, Nueva Era, Dingras, Bacarra, Solsona, Paoay, Currimao, Pinili, Badoc, Batac City, Banna)
- rest of Ilocos Sur
Signal No. 2
Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property
- northwestern and eastern parts of Cagayan (Iguig, Peñablanca, Baggao, Alcala, Amulung, Santo Niño, Gattaran, Lasam, Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Allacapan, Ballesteros, Lal-lo, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Gonzaga)
- rest of Nueva Vizcaya
- rest of Quirino
- rest of Apayao
- rest of Benguet
- rest of Ilocos Norte
- La Union
- northeastern part of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Natividad, San Quintin, Sison, San Manuel, Umingan, Tayug)
- central part of Aurora (Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler)
- northern part of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Pantabangan, Lupao, San Jose City)
Signal No. 1
Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property
- Babuyan Islands
- rest of mainland Cagayan
- rest of Pangasinan
- rest of Aurora
- rest of Nueva Ecija
- Bulacan
- Pampanga
- Tarlac
- northern and central parts of Zambales (Santa Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig, Iba, Botolan, Cabangan, San Marcelino, San Felipe, San Narciso)
- northern part of Metro Manila (Navotas City, Valenzuela City, Malabon City, Caloocan City, Marikina City, Pasig City, Quezon City, City of Manila, Makati City, Pateros, San Juan City, Mandaluyong City)
- northern part of Rizal (Rodriguez, Teresa, Antipolo City, San Mateo, Morong, Baras, Cainta, Tanay, Taytay, Angono)
- northeastern part of Quezon (Infanta, General Nakar) including Polillo Islands
The northeasterly windflow is bringing strong to gale-force gusts to these areas, too:
Monday, November 11
- Batanes, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Lubang Island, Marinduque, Romblon, Masbate, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes
Tuesday, November 12
- Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela
In addition, there is a moderate to high risk of storm surges in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Zambales, and Aurora within 48 hours.
Sea conditions will remain dangerous in certain seaboards in the next 24 hours.
Up to very rough or high seas (travel is risky for all vessels)
- Eastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan; seaboards of Isabela and Ilocos Sur; western seaboard of Ilocos Norte – waves up to 5.5 meters high
- Remaining seaboard of mainland Cagayan and Ilocos Norte; seaboard of Babuyan Islands – waves up to 5 meters high
- Seaboards of Batanes and northern Aurora – waves up to 4.5 meters high
Up to rough seas (small vessels should not venture out to sea)
- Remaining seaboard of Ilocos Region. – waves up to 4 meters high
- Remaining seaboard of Aurora; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands; western seaboard of Zambales – waves up to 3 meters high
Up to moderate seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible)
- Seaboards of northern mainland Quezon and Camarines Norte; northern seaboards of Camarines Sur and Catanduanes – waves up to 2.5 meters high
- Western seabaords of Bataan, Lubang Islands, Occidental Mindoro, and Calamian Islands; northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar; seaboard of Kalayaan Islands; eastern seaboards of Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, and Eastern Samar – waves up to 2 meters high
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Nika is the Philippines’ 14th tropical cyclone for 2024, and the second for November, coming immediately after Typhoon Marce (Yinxing), which battered Northern Luzon. Marce has since weakened into a tropical storm outside PAR.
While Nika may exit PAR by Tuesday morning, a new tropical cyclone is expected to enter PAR at around the same time — the potential Ofel.
– Rappler.com