MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Marce (Yinxing) is now “less likely to bring heavy rainfall” to the country, and Signal No. 3 for winds was also lifted, as the tropical cyclone continued to move away from land late Friday morning, November 8.

As of 10 am on Friday, Marce was already 165 kilometers west of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, or 165 kilometers west of Batac, Ilocos Norte. It accelerated further, moving west southwest at 20 kilometers per hour from the previous 15 km/h.

It is still projected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday afternoon or evening.

Marce also continued to weaken, with its maximum sustained winds decreasing from 150 km/h to 140 km/h. Its gustiness eased further from 205 km/h to 170 km/h.

At its peak, the typhoon had maximum sustained winds of 175 km/h. Signal No. 4 was the highest tropical cyclone wind signal raised.

Marce made landfall twice in Cagayan on Thursday, November 7, while at peak intensity — first in Santa Ana at 3:40 pm, then in Sanchez-Mira at 9 pm. Extensive damage was reported in the province.

The typhoon later left Philippine landmass through Ilocos Norte before dawn on Friday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) did note in a briefing past 11 am that Marce’s trough or extension may still bring scattered rain and thunderstorms to Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur on Friday.

For winds, Signal Nos. 1 and 2 are still raised in the following areas:

Signal No. 2

Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property

• northwestern part of mainland Cagayan (Claveria, Santa Praxedes)
• western part of Apayao (Calanasan, Kabugao)
• Abra
• Ilocos Norte
• northern part of Ilocos Sur (Magsingal, San Esteban, Banayoyo, Burgos, Candon City, Santiago, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Lidlidda, Nagbukel, Sinait, San Ildefonso, Galimuyod, Vigan City, San Emilio, Cabugao, Caoayan, San Juan, Santa, Bantay, Santo Domingo, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Narvacan, Salcedo, Santa Lucia)

Signal No. 1

Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property

• Batanes
• Babuyan Islands
• rest of mainland Cagayan
• northern and western parts of Isabela (Santo Tomas, Alicia, San Mateo, Aurora, Santa Maria, Quezon, Ramon, Naguilian, Roxas, Luna, Delfin Albano, Cauayan City, San Pablo, Ilagan City, Angadanan, Benito Soliven, Santiago City, Tumauini, Cabagan, Reina Mercedes, San Manuel, Cabatuan, Quirino, Gamu, San Isidro, Mallig, Cordon, Maconacon, Burgos)
• northern and western parts of Nueva Vizcaya (Diadi, Bagabag, Ambaguio, Villaverde, Bayombong, Solano, Quezon, Bambang, Kayapa, Santa Fe, Aritao)
• northwestern part of Quirino (Diffun, Saguday)
• rest of Apayao
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• rest of Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• northern and central parts of Pangasinan (Bani, Bolinao, Anda, Alaminos City, Agno, Sual, Labrador, Burgos, Mabini, Lingayen, Binmaley, Dagupan City, Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto, Pozorrubio, Sison, San Manuel, San Nicolas, Tayug, Santa Maria, Binalonan, Asingan, Laoac, Manaoag, Mapandan, Santa Barbara, Calasiao, Urdaneta City, Basista, Villasis, Malasiqui, Urbiztondo, Aguilar, Santo Tomas, San Carlos City, Bugallon, Infanta, Dasol)

In addition, the northeasterly windflow and the “periphery” of the typhoon will continue bringing strong to gale-force gusts to Batanes, northern Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, and the Ilocos Region on Friday.

PAGASA has yet to lift its storm surge warning for Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and La Union as well. There is still a high risk of “life-threatening” storm surges “with peak surge heights exceeding 3 meters.”

Sea conditions will gradually improve in the next 24 hours, but certain seaboards remain unsafe, for now.

Up to very rough seas (travel is risky for all vessels)

• Seaboards of Ilocos Region; western seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands – waves up to 4.5 meters high

Up to rough seas (small vessels should not venture out to sea)

• Seaboard of Zambales – waves up to 4 meters high
• Remaining seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands; northern seaboard of mainland Cagayan – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Remaining seaboard of mainland Cagayan; seaboard of Isabela – waves up to 3 meters high

Up to moderate seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible)

• Seaboard of northern Aurora; western seaboards of Bataan, Lubang Islands, Calamian Islands, and mainland Palawan – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Remaining seaboards of Aurora; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands, Catanduanes, and Northern Samar; seaboards of Camarines Norte; northern seaboard of Camarines Sur; eastern seaboards of Albay, Sorsogon, Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Sur – waves up to 2 meters high

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Marce is the Philippines’ 13th tropical cyclone for 2024, and the first for November.

PAGASA previously estimated that one or two tropical cyclones could form within or enter PAR in November.

Aside from Marce, the weather bureau is monitoring a low pressure area (LPA) that formed outside PAR at 2 am on Friday.

As of 10 am, the LPA was located 1,770 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon. It might enter PAR on Friday evening or Saturday, November 9.

PAGASA Weather Specialist Ana Clauren-Jorda said the LPA currently has a low chance of developing into a tropical cyclone within 24 hours. Since the weather disturbance is over the sea, however, the weather bureau is not ruling out the possibility that it may become a tropical cyclone beyond the next 24 hours. If it does, its local name would be Nika.

“In the coming days, kahit LPA o maging bagyo man po ito, ay posible po itong magdulot ng mga pag-ulan, lalo na po dito sa may eastern section ng Luzon area, kaya patuloy ho tayong mag-antabay sa ating mga updates na inilalabas,” Jorda said.

(In the coming days, whether as an LPA or as a tropical cyclone, this weather disturbance might trigger rain, especially in the eastern section of Luzon, so we advise everyone to continue monitoring updates released by PAGASA.) – Rappler.com