‘Ursula’ to make landfall in Eastern Samar

Tropical Storm “Ursula” continued to intensify as it threatens Eastern Visayas and is expected to dump heavy rains.

Ursula is forecast to make landfall over Eastern Samar Tuesday afternoon or early evening and may intensify into a typhoon prior to landfall.

As such, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal no. 3 may be raised over portions of Eastern Visayas this afternoon.

At 10 a.m. Tuesday, the center of Ursula was 185 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

Moderate to strong winds, meanwhile, will be felt in Metro Manila, Bulacan and Bataan on Christmas Day.

As of 11 a.m., state weather bureau PAGASA issued the following Heavy Rainfall Outlook:

Between Tuesday and Wednesdy noon: Occasional to frequent heavy rains over Dinagat Islands, Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, Eastern Visayas, Sorsogon, Masbate, northern and central Cebu, northern Negros Provinces, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras and Romblon. Light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains over the rest of Bicol Region, Quezon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, and the rest of Visayas and Surigao del Norte.

Between Wednesday noon and late evening: Occasional to frequent heavy rains over Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Romblon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Batangas, and Calamian Islands. Light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains over Cuyo Islands, Negros Provinces, Iloilo, Guimaras, Aurora, and the rest of CALABARZON.

Moderate to strong winds to begin affecting Northeastern Mindanao and Eastern Visayas today; Bicol Region and portions of Central Visayas this afternoon or tonight; CALABARZON, and portions of MIMAROPA and Western Visayas tomorrow morning; Medium to high-risk structures may experience light damage.

Damaging gale to storm-force winds to begin affecting areas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) #2 in Eastern Visayas this afternoon; in Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Romblon, Aklan, Capiz and portions of Antique, Iloilo, and northern Cebu tonight; in Marinduque, southern portion of Quezon, portions of Mindoro Provinces tomorrow morning. This may bring light to moderate damage to high-risk structures and at most light damage to medium-risk structures.

Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands

extreme northern Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands (Bantayan

rest of Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island

northern Negros Occidental (Bacolod City

and northern Negros Oriental (Canlaon City

and Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands