Satellite image of TD Ambo as of Tuesday morning, May 12. (DOST Pagasa)
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Parts of Eastern Visayas may be placed under storm warning signals today, Tuesday, as Tropical Depression Ambo moves closer to the region and is expected to intensify to a tropical storm then to a severe tropical storm in the next 48 hours, Pagasa said this morning, May 12, 2020.
Pagasa Mactan Weather Specialist Netherlen Seletrero said TD Ambo, which is still at sea east of Surigao City, is expected to intensify into a tropical storm within the next 24 hours as it approaches Eastern Samar.
It is moving north-northwestward at 15 kilometers per hour as it maintains its strength with winds of up to 55 kilometers per hour and gustiness of 70 kph.
TD Ambo forecast track as of May 12, 2020
Based on the latest forecast track issued by the weather bureau this morning, Ambo will already be around 280 kilometers east of Borongan City by Wednesday dawn, May 13.
Ambo may intensify further into a severe tropical storm by Thursday, May 14, as it draws closer to Catarman, Northern Samar.
The trough or extension of Ambo, which will then be a severe tropical storm, will bring widespread rains in Cebu and other parts of the Visayas this Thursday, May 14.
According to Pagasa, Ambo will likely make landfall by Thursday afternoon in the vicinity of Sorsogon-Albay area as it crosses Southern Luzon.
Seletrero said Cebu’s weather will start to improve by Friday, May 15, while Ambo will continues to move upwards in Luzon. / dcb