Tropical Depression Wilma lingers off Eastern Samar

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Wilma maintained its strength and generally slow movement off the coast of Eastern Samar early Saturday morning, December 6.

As of 7 am on Saturday, Wilma was located 70 kilometers east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar, slowly moving west.

The tropical depression continues to have maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 55 km/h.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 8 am bulletin that Wilma could make its first landfall in Eastern Visayas on Saturday, then cross the rest of the Visayas until Sunday, December 7.

Afterwards, it will emerge over the Sulu Sea and move over the northern portion of Palawan by Monday morning, December 8.

Wilma is likely to remain a tropical depression while crossing the Visayas and Palawan.

The following provinces in the Visayas and Southern Luzon are expected to receive the most rainfall from Wilma in the next three days:

Saturday, December 6

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 millimeters): Sorsogon, Masbate, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Romblon, Biliran, Leyte, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Antique

Sunday, December 7

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Aklan, Capiz
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Masbate, Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras

Monday, December 8

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Occidental Mindoro, Palawan

PAGASA reiterated that floods and landslides are expected.

Meanwhile, Signal No. 1 is raised in these areas as of 8 am on Saturday, due to strong winds from Wilma:

• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Romblon
• southern part of Oriental Mindoro (Bulalacao, Mansalay, Roxas, Bongabong)
• southern part of Occidental Mindoro (Magsaysay, San Jose, Rizal, Calintaan)
• northernmost part of Palawan (Araceli, Dumaran, El Nido, Taytay) including Cuyo, Calamian, and Cagayancillo Islands
• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands
• Bohol
• Negros Occidental
• Siquijor
• northern and central parts of Negros Oriental (Guihulngan City, Canlaon City, Vallehermoso, La Libertad, Jimalalud, Tayasan, Ayungon, Bindoy, Manjuyod, Bais City, Pamplona, Tanjay City, Amlan, San Jose, Dumaguete City, Valencia, Sibulan, Bacong, Mabinay, Bayawan City, Basay)
• Guimaras
• Iloilo
• Capiz
• Aklan
• Antique
• Surigao del Norte including Siargao Island and Bucas Grande Island
• Dinagat Islands
• northern part of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza)
• northern part of Agusan del Norte (Kitcharao, Jabonga, Santiago, Tubay, Cabadbaran City, Remedios T. Romualdez, Magallanes)
• Camiguin

In areas not under a tropical cyclone wind signal, strong to gale-force gusts are still possible due to the northeast monsoon or amihan.

Saturday, December 6

• most of Luzon, Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula

Sunday, December 7

• most of Luzon, Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula

Monday, December 8

• most of Luzon, Eastern Visayas, Western Visayas

PAGASA also updated its warnings for the country’s seaboards, which are affected by both Wilma and the northeast monsoon, on Saturday.

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

• Northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes; eastern seaboards of Albay and Sorsogon; northern seaboard of Northern Samar – waves up to 5.5 meters high
• Seaboards of mainland Cagayan, Isabela, and Aurora; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, and Camarines Sur; remaining seaboard of Northern Samar – waves up to 5 meters high
• Eastern seaboards of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and Eastern Samar – waves up to 4.5 meters high

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

• Remaining seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands; seaboard of Ilocos Norte – waves up to 4 meters high
• Seaboards of Surigao del Sur and Kalayaan Islands – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Remaining seaboards of Ilocos Region; eastern seaboard of Davao Oriental – waves up to 3 meters high

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

• Western seaboards of Zambales, Bataan, Batangas, and Palawan; seaboards of Cuyo Islands; western seaboards of Antique and Negros Occidental; southern seaboards of Oriental Mindoro, Negros Oriental, and Davao Occidental; seaboards of Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, and Aklan – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Remaining seaboards of Palawan, Quezon, and Camarines Sur; seaboard of Marinduque; northwestern seaboard of Masbate including Burias Islands; remaining seaboard of Oriental Mindoro; northern seaboard of Zamboanga del Norte – waves up to 2 meters high

Wilma is the Philippines’ 23rd tropical cyclone for 2025, and the first for December. The weather bureau expects one or two tropical cyclones to form within or enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility during the month.

Shear line

The shear line also continues to trigger significant rain in portions of Southern Luzon. Floods and landslides may hit affected areas, too.

Saturday, December 6

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Marinduque, Camarines Norte, Quezon

Sunday, December 7

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Romblon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Aurora, Isabela, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon

Monday, December 8

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque

The shear line refers to the point where cold air from the northeast monsoon converges with the easterlies or warm winds from the Pacific Ocean. – Rappler.com