'Ramon' weakens; 'Sarah' to intensify into tropical storm

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm Ramon (international name Kalmaegi) – the 18th tropical cyclone in 2019 – is projected to weaken into a low-pressure area while Tropical Depression Sarah is seen to intensify into a Tropical Storm, state weather bureau PAGASA said Wednesday.

“[S]a projection po natin in the next 24 hours, posible po na maging LPA na lamang ito,” weather specialist Loriedin De La Cruz said during PAGASA's 5:00 a.m. press briefing Wednesday.

"Yung movement niya ay pa-timog kanluran na ho ito. Magandang balita naman dahil kahit papaano po ay gumagalaw na itong si Bagyong Ramon at 10 kilometers per hour.”

(The good news is the storm indicates a southwestern motion at around 10 kilometers per hour.)

The storm made landfall at Santa Ana in Cagayan around midnight and remains with dangerous gusts in the province as of Wednesday morning.

At 7 a.m., Ramon was located in the vicinity of in the vicinity of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 85 kph and gusts of up to 140 kph. It is forecast to move southwest at 15 kph.

A gale warning is also issued in Zambales and Bataan.

"Ramon" began as a low-pressure area that was spotted east of the country after Tropical Storm Quiel left the Philippine Area of Responsibility. It intensified into a tropical storm exactly a week ago.

Tropical cyclone warning signals are raised in the following areas:

Signal no. 2

• Batanes
• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• Abra
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur

Signal no. 1

• Northern portion of Isabela
• Mountain Province
• Benguet
• Ifugao
• La Union
• Pangasinan

'Sarah' to strike soon

Meanwhile, Tropical Depression "Sarah" was last seen 750 kilometers east of Infanta, Quezon with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gusts of 70 kilometers per hour.

It is moving northwest at around 25 kilometers per hour.

De La Cruz said the tropical depression is expected to strengthen and projected to make landfall at the northern tip of Luzon as the weekend approaches.

The eastern portion of Cagayan (Aparri, Baggao, Alcala, Gattaran, Lal-lo, Tuguegarao City, Penablanca, Iguig, Amulung, Santa Teresita, Camalaniugan, Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Buguey, Ballesteros and Calayan) and northeastern portion of Isabela (Divilacan, Tumauini, Cabagan, Maconacon and San Pablo) are under Signal No. 1 due to Sarah.

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