Signal No. 1 up over Catanduanes due to 'Nika'

MANILA, Philippines — State weather bureau PAGASA raised Signal No. 1 over Catanduanes after a low pressure area (LPA) that entered the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) early Saturday, November 9, developed into a tropical depression.

The tropical depression has been assigned the name "Nika," becoming the 14th tropical cyclone of the year.

As of 10:00 a.m., Nika was spotted 1,145 km east of southeastern Luzon, with peak winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 70 kph. 

It is moving westward at 30 kph, with strong winds extending up to 250 km from its center.

Wind signal

Catanduanes has been placed under Signal No. 1, with winds of 39 to 61 kph expected in the next 36 hours, which may pose a "minimal to minor threat to life and property."

The highest wind signal that may be raised due to Nika is Signal No. 3.

State weather forecasters said the northeasterly wind flow is expected to bring strong to gale-force gusts on Sunday, November 10, over the following areas:

• Batanes
• northern Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Ilocos Norte

Sea conditions

The state weather bureau advised mariners to avoid traveling by sea due to risky conditions in the following areas:

• Up to 3 meters: Northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes; seaboard of Kalayaan Islands
• Up to 2.5 meters: Seaboards of Isabela, northern Aurora and Camarines Norte; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands and Northern Samar; northern seaboard of Camarines Sur; eastern seaboards of Albay and Sorsogon
• Up to 2 meters: Remaining seaboards of Cagayan Valley, seaboard of Ilocos Region; western seaboards of Zambales, Bataan, Lubang Islands, Occidental Mindoro, Calamian Islands, and mainland Palawan; eastern seaboards of Camarines Sur, Eastern Samar and Dinagat Islands

Track, intensity outlook

Nika is expected to continue moving westward, with landfall possible over Isabela or Aurora by Monday, November 11. 

PAGASA said Nika may strengthen into a severe tropical storm before landfall but is expected to weaken as it passes over Luzon.