Typhoon Marce strengthens while inching toward mainland Cagayan-Babuyan Islands area
MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Marce (Yinxing) intensified on Wednesday evening, November 6, while moving toward the northern mainland Cagayan-Babuyan Islands area.
Marce’s maximum sustained winds increased from 150 kilometers per hour to 155 km/h, possibly already its peak intensity, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). Its gustiness is now up to 190 km/h from 185 km/h.
The typhoon was located 240 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan, as of 10 pm on Wednesday. It is moving west northwest at only 10 km/h, still maintaining a generally slow pace.
PAGASA said in its 11 pm bulletin that Marce is now projected to move west northwest over the waters east of Cagayan until Thursday morning, November 7, before gradually speeding up westward from Thursday afternoon to Saturday, November 9, over the Babuyan Channel and the northern portion of the West Philippine Sea.
Marce might make landfall and cross Babuyan Islands and/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.
PAGASA added that Marce may slightly weaken “due to possible interaction with the terrain of mainland Luzon,” but it is expected to remain a typhoon.
Moderate to torrential rain is seen to persist in parts of Northern Luzon until Friday, Marce’s last day inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). The rain may trigger floods and landslides.
Wednesday evening, November 6, to Thursday evening, November 7
- Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 millimeters): Cagayan, Apayao, Ilocos Norte
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Batanes, Abra
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Kalinga, Isabela, Ilocos Sur
Thursday evening, November 7, to Friday evening, November 8
- Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 mm): Cagayan, Apayao, Ilocos Norte
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Batanes, Abra, Ilocos Sur
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Kalinga, Pangasinan, La Union, Benguet, Isabela, Mountain Province
Friday evening, November 8, to Saturday evening, November 9
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan
Tropical cyclone wind signals are in effect for the following areas as of 11 pm on Wednesday:
Signal No. 3
Storm-force winds (89 to 117 km/h), moderate to significant threat to life and property
- northern and central parts of Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Lal-lo, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Allacapan, Gattaran, Lasam, Ballesteros, Baggao, Alcala, Santo Niño, Rizal, Abulug, Pamplona, Sanchez-Mira, Claveria, Santa Praxedes) including Babuyan Islands
- eastern part of Apayao (Flora, Santa Marcela, Luna, Pudtol)
Signal No. 2
Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property
- Batanes
- rest of mainland Cagayan
- northern and central parts of Isabela (San Pablo, Santa Maria, Divilacan, Tumauini, Maconacon, Cabagan, Santo Tomas, Quezon, Palanan, Ilagan City, Mallig, Delfin Albano, Quirino, San Mariano, Gamu, Roxas, Naguilian, Burgos, Reina Mercedes, Benito Soliven, Luna, Aurora, San Manuel)
- rest of Apayao
- Abra
- Kalinga
- eastern and central parts of Mountain Province (Paracelis, Natonin, Barlig, Sadanga)
- Ilocos Norte
- northern part of Ilocos Sur (Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan, Magsingal, Santo Domingo, Bantay, San Ildefonso, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Vigan City, Narvacan, Caoayan, Santa, Nagbukel, Santa Maria, San Esteban, Santiago, Burgos, Banayoyo, Lidlidda, San Emilio)
Signal No. 1
Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property
- rest of Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- northern part of Pangasinan (Bani, Bolinao, Anda, Alaminos City, Agno, Sual, Labrador, Burgos, Mabini, Lingayen, Binmaley, Dagupan City, Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto, Pozorrubio, Sison, San Manuel, San Nicolas, Natividad, San Quintin, Tayug, Santa Maria, Binalonan, Asingan, Laoac, Manaoag, Mapandan, Santa Barbara, Calasiao, Urdaneta City)
- rest of Mountain Province
- Ifugao
- Benguet
- rest of Isabela
- Quirino
- Nueva Vizcaya
- northern part of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler)
- northern part of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan)
The highest possible wind signal due to Marce is Signal No. 4.
The northeasterly windflow and the “periphery” of the typhoon are bringing strong to gale-force gusts to these areas, too:
Thursday, November 7
- Zambales, Bataan, Polillo Islands
Friday, November 8
- Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, eastern part of Isabela, Ilocos Region
Saturday, November 9
- Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Region
In addition, there is still a high risk of “life-threatening” storm surges “with peak surge heights exceeding 3 meters above normal tide levels” in Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and La Union in the next 48 hours.
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For sea conditions in the next 24 hours, PAGASA provided the following outlook:
Up to very rough, high, or very high seas (travel is risky for all vessels)
- Seaboard of Babuyan Islands; northern seaboard of mainland Cagayan – waves up to 12 meters high
- Northern seaboard of Ilocos Norte – waves up to 10 meters high
- Seaboard of Batanes; remaining seaboard of mainland Cagayan – waves up to 8 meters high
- Remaining seaboard of Ilocos Norte; seaboard of Isabela – waves up to 7 meters high
- Seaboard of Ilocos Sur – waves up to 6 meters high
- Remaining seaboard of Ilocos Region – waves up to 5 meters high
- Seaboards of northern Zambales and northern Aurora – waves up to 4.5 meters high
Up to rough seas (small vessels should not venture out to sea)
- Seaboards of Kalayaan Islands – waves up to 4.5 meters high
- Northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands; seaboards of Camarines Norte; northern seaboards of Catanduanes and Camarines Sur; remaining seaboard of Zambales – waves up to 3.5 meters high
- Eastern seaboard of Catanduanes; seaboard of northern Quezon – waves up to 3 meters high
Up to moderate seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible)
- Northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar; eastern seaboards of Albay, Sorsogon, and Eastern Samar; western seaboards of Bataan, Lubang Islands, and Palawan including Calamian Islands – waves up to 2.5 meters high
- Western seaboard of Occidental Mindoro; 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.
PAGASA previously estimated that one or two tropical cyclones could form within or enter PAR in November. – Rappler.com