The low-pressure area east of the country has developed into Tropical Depression Ada, in line with the state weather bureau on Wednesday. Storm Signal No. 1 has been raised in several areas.
Ada entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 8:00 a.m. and was last situated 635 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 11:00 a.m. advisory.
The tropical depression has maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of as much as 55 kph.
Ada is forecast to accentuate right into a tropical storm inside 24 to 36 hours.
PAGASA raised Storm Signal No. 1 over several areas within the Visayas and Mindanao, including Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and Samar. The signal can also be in effect over Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur.
Under this signal, PAGASA said minor to moderate impacts from strong winds could also be experienced inside 36 hours.
Storm Signal No. 2 often is the highest signal to be raised through the system’s passage, it said.
The weather bureau also issued a heavy rainfall outlook over the identical areas, effective until Saturday.
A yellow rainfall warning was raised over Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur, where 50 to 100 millimeters of rain may experience on Thursday.
PAGASA warned of possible localized flooding and landslides, especially in disaster-prone areas amid heavy rainfall.
As of Ada’s trajectory inside the following three days, it could pass near or make landfall over Eastern Visayas on Friday or Saturday morning.
The Tropical Depression may then move near or make one other landfall over Catanduanes from Saturday to Sunday before turning generally northeastward over the waters east of Luzon.
Tropical Depression Ada is the country’s first tropical cyclone for 2026.
The Philippines averages around 20 tropical cyclones annually, amongst the best on the planet, because it lies along the western North Pacific basin where storms continuously form. — Edg Adrian A. Eva