Typhoon Marce (international name: Yinxing) has intensified and is expected to reach its peak intensity on Wednesday as it moves across the Babuyan Channel in Northern Luzon, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
In its latest 11:00 a.m. bulletin, Pagasa reported that Typhoon Marce, which was located approximately 305 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, is now packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, up from 140 kph earlier, with gusts reaching up to 185 kph, an increase from the previous 170 kph. The typhoon is moving westward at a speed of 10 kph.
Typhoon Signal Warnings:
- Signal No. 3 is in effect for the northeastern part of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana), where winds of 85 kph to 117 kph are expected within the next 18 hours.
- Signal No. 2 has been raised over the following areas, where winds of 62 kph to 88 kph are expected:
- Batanes
- Babuyan Islands
- Northern mainland Cagayan (including Gonzaga, Lal-Lo, Santa Teresita, and others)
- Northern Apayao (including Calanasan, Luna, Pudtol, and others)
- Signal No. 1 is in effect for the following regions, where winds of 39 kph to 61 kph are forecast:
- Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, and other areas in northern Luzon, including parts of Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and more.
Forecast and Impacts:
Pagasa stated that while slight weakening of the typhoon is expected due to potential interaction with the terrain of mainland Luzon, Marce will remain a typhoon as it moves through the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). The typhoon is predicted to continue weakening through the weekend, due to the influence of the northeasterly wind flow and the weak southern monsoon.
Typhoon Marce is expected to exit the PAR by Friday evening.
Additional Alerts:
A gale warning remains in effect for the seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon, with rough seas expected to affect maritime activities in these regions.
Residents in affected areas are advised to prepare for possible flooding, landslides, and disruptions to transportation. Stay tuned for further updates as the situation develops.