By ELLALYN V. RUIZ
All tropical cyclone wind signals associated with tropical depression “Vicky” (international name “Krovanh”) have been lifted as the weather disturbance continues to move away from the Philippines.
In its final severe weather bulletin issued at 11 a.m. Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) estimated Vicky’s location at 210 kilometers south-southwest of Kalayaan, Palawan around 10 a.m.
Although the tropical cyclone wind signal over Kalayaan Islands has been lifted, PAGASA said “strong to gale-force winds” may still prevail over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and the northern portions of Cagayan, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte due to the surge of northeast monsoon or “amihan” enhanced by Vicky.
Occasional gusty conditions may also prevail over the eastern portions of mainland Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Palawan, and Calamian Islands.
PAGASA said moderate to heavy rains may affect Kalayaan Islands, Babuyan and Calayan Islands, eastern portion of mainland Cagayan Valley, Aurora, and northern portion of Quezon Monday.
Light to moderate with at times heavy rains may also persist over the rest of mainland Cagayan Valley, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, and Ifugao.
By Tuesday, moderate to heavy rains will mostly prevail over Cagayan and Apayao, and light to moderate with at times heavy rains over Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Aurora, Quezon, Batanes, Isabela, Quirino, and Nueva Vizcaya.
PAGASA advised the public to stay vigilant against possible flooding or flash floods and rain-induced landslides especially during heavy or prolonged periods of rainfall, particularly in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards, as well as in areas that have already received significant rainfall over the past couple of days or weeks.
Likewise, adjacent or nearby areas that may not have been directly affected by the rainfall were urged to remain alert due to the possibility of flooding from surface runoff or swelling of river channels.
In the next 24 hours, the surge of amihan will bring rough to high seas with wave heights reaching three to six meters over the entire seaboard of Northern Luzon.
Rough to very rough seas with wave heights up to 2.8 to 4.5 meters may prevail over the seaboard of Central Luzon, eastern seaboard of northern Quezon, including northern and eastern waters of Polillo Islands, seaboard of Camarines Norte, northern seaboard of Camarines Sur, northern and eastern seaboard of Catanduanes, seaboard of Lubang Island, and western seaboard of Palawan, including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands.