MANILA, Philippines – The weather bureau warned the public that Typhoon Marce (Yinxing) is threatening Babuyan Islands and the northern part of mainland Luzon, as the tropical cyclone intensified again late Wednesday morning, November 6.

Marce’s maximum sustained winds increased from 140 kilometers per hour to 150 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in a press conference past 11 am on Wednesday. Its gustiness is now up to 185 km/h from 170 km/h.

The typhoon was last spotted 305 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, or 315 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan, at 10 am. It is moving west northwest at only 10 km/h.

PAGASA said Marce will maintain its west northwestward movement and slow pace on Wednesday over the waters east of Cagayan, before gradually speeding up westward from Thursday, November 7, to Saturday, November 9, over the Babuyan Channel and the northern portion of the West Philippine Sea.

The weather bureau expects Marce to make landfall and cross Babuyan Islands or the northern parts of mainland Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, and Apayao from Thursday afternoon to early Friday morning, November 8. The typhoon may also just pass very close to these areas instead of making landfall, but note that in both scenarios, it would still have a serious impact.

“Slight weakening is expected due to possible interaction with the terrain of mainland Luzon, although Marce will remain a typhoon throughout its passage within the PAR (Philippine Area of Responsibility) region,” PAGASA added.

The weather bureau raised Signal No. 3 due to Marce for the first time at 11 am on Wednesday. Here are the areas under tropical cyclone wind signals:

Signal No. 3

Storm-force winds (89 to 117 km/h), moderate to significant threat to life and property

• northeastern part of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana)

Signal No. 2

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

• Batanes
• Babuyan Islands
• northern part of mainland Cagayan (Gonzaga, Lal-lo, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Gattaran, Baggao, Lasam, Abulug, Camalaniugan, Pamplona, Claveria, Aparri, Ballesteros, Allacapan, Sanchez-Mira, Santa Praxedes, Rizal, Santo Niño, Alcala, Amulung)
• northern part of Apayao (Calanasan, Luna, Pudtol, Santa Marcela, Flora, Kabugao)

Signal No. 1

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

• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• Abra
• rest of Apayao
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• northern part of Benguet (Mankayan, Buguias, Kabayan, Bakun, Kibungan, Bokod, Atok)
• rest of mainland Cagayan
• Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• northern part of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler)

The highest possible wind signal due to Marce is Signal No. 4.

The northeasterly windflow is bringing strong to gale-force gusts to the following areas, too:

Wednesday, November 6

• most of Cagayan Valley, most of Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan

Thursday, November 7

• areas in Ilocos Region and Aurora not under wind signals, Zambales, Polillo Islands

PAGASA also released an updated rainfall advisory at 11 am on Wednesday. Affected areas must be on alert for floods and landslides.

Wednesday noon, November 6, to Thursday noon, November 7

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 millimeters): Cagayan
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Batanes, Isabela, Aurora

Thursday noon, November 7, to Friday noon, November 8

• Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 mm): Cagayan, Apayao
• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Ilocos Norte, Batanes, Abra
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Isabela, Ilocos Sur, Kalinga, Pangasinan, Mountain Province

Friday noon, November 8, to Saturday noon, November 9

• Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 mm): Cagayan, Apayao, Ilocos Norte
• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Ilocos Sur, Abra, Batanes
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Kalinga, La Union, Pangasinan, Benguet, Mountain Province

The trough or extension of the typhoon may also cause isolated to scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in other parts of the country on Wednesday.

PAGASA Administrator Nathaniel Servando noted that monitoring continues for areas outside Northern Luzon. “Bagamat ang focus or ang directly affected ng bagyong Marce ay Northern Luzon…we expect some thunderstorm activity, mga pag-uulan but panandalian — lalong-lalo na sa hapon at gabi — maging dito sa Metro Manila,” Servando said during the press conference.

(While the focus is on Northern Luzon as the area directly affected by Typhoon Marce, we expect some thunderstorm activity, brief periods of rain — especially in the afternoon and evening — even here in Metro Manila.)

In addition, the weather bureau said there is a moderate to high risk of “life-threatening” storm surges “reaching 2 to 3 meters above normal tide levels” in Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur in the next 48 hours.

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With Marce gaining strength as it heads for Northern Luzon, sea conditions are worsening.

Up to very rough, high, or very high seas (travel is risky for all vessels)

• Eastern seaboard of Babuyan Islands; northeastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan – waves up to 12 meters high
• Seaboard of Batanes; remaining seaboard of Babuyan Islands; northern seaboard of mainland Cagayan – waves up to 8 meters high
• Remaining seaboard of mainland Cagayan; northern seaboard of Ilocos Norte – waves up to 7 meters high
• Remaining seaboard of Ilocos Norte; seaboard of Isabela – waves up to 6 meters high
• Seaboard of Ilocos Sur – waves up to 5.5 meters high
• Remaining seaboard of Ilocos Region; seaboard of northern Aurora – waves up to 4.5 meters high

Up to rough seas (small vessels should not venture out to sea)

• Seaboard of northern Zambales – waves up to 4 meters high
• Northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands; seaboard of Camarines Norte; northern seaboards of Catanduanes and Camarines Sur – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Eastern seaboards of Catanduanes and Northern Samar; remaining seaboard of Zambales; seaboard of Kalayaan Islands – waves up to 3 meters high

Up to moderate seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible)

• Northern seaboard of Northern Samar; eastern seaboards of Albay, Sorsogon, and Eastern Samar; western seaboards of Bataan, Lubang Islands, mainland northern Palawan, and Calamian Islands – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Western seaboards of Occidental Mindoro and rest of mainland Palawan; eastern seaboards of Camarines Sur and Dinagat Islands – waves up to 2 meters high

Marce is the Philippines’ 13th tropical cyclone for 2024, and the first for November. It may exit PAR on Friday evening.

PAGASA previously estimated that one or two tropical cyclones could form within or enter PAR in November. – Rappler.com