Tropical Depression Ada slows down over Philippine Sea

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Ada slowed down over the Philippine Sea on Wednesday afternoon, January 14, while maintaining its strength.

In a briefing past 5 pm on Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Ada was last spotted 545 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao
del Sur.

The tropical depression is moving west northwest at only 10 kilometers per hour from the previous 35 km/h.

It still has maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h and gustiness of up to 55 km/h, but remains likely to intensify into a tropical storm within 24 hours.

Ada could pass close to or make landfall in Eastern Visayas as a tropical storm on Friday, January 16, or early Saturday morning, January 17, then in Catanduanes on Saturday or Sunday, January 18, before recurving northeast over the sea east of Luzon.

PAGASA’s latest rainfall outlook, issued at 5 pm on Wednesday, still shows provinces in Caraga, Eastern Visayas, and Bicol facing significant rain from Ada. Affected areas must brace for floods and landslides.

Wednesday afternoon, January 14, to Thursday afternoon, January 15

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 millimeters): Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur

Thursday afternoon, January 15, to Friday afternoon, January 16

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Northern Samar, Eastern Samar
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte

Friday afternoon, January 16, to Saturday afternoon, January 17

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Northern Samar
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Camarines Norte, Masbate, Samar, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte

Meanwhile, Signal No. 1 remains raised in the following provinces as of 5 pm on Wednesday, which means they will see strong winds from the tropical depression:

• Northern Samar
• Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Norte
• Surigao del Sur

The highest possible tropical cyclone wind signal due to Ada is Signal No. 2.

The northeast monsoon or amihan and the periphery of the tropical depression may also bring strong to gale-force gusts to these areas:

Wednesday, January 14

• Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Abra, northern and eastern mainland Cagayan, eastern Isabela, eastern Bulacan, Aurora, most of Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Sorsogon

Thursday, January 15

• Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, northern and eastern mainland Cagayan, eastern Isabela, Aurora, most of Calabarzon, Lubang Islands, Marinduque, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, Cuyo Islands, Bicol, Central Visayas

Friday, January 16

• Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, northern and eastern mainland Cagayan, eastern Isabela, Aurora, most of Calabarzon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, Marinduque, Bicol, most of Visayas, most of Caraga

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Conditions in certain seaboards are dangerous, especially for small vessels.

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

• Seaboards of Ilocos Norte; northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes, Northern Samar, and Siargao-Bucas Grande Islands; eastern seaboards of Albay, Sorsogon, Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Sur – waves up to 4 meters high
• Seaboards of Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Aurora, northern mainland Quezon, and Camarines Norte; northern seaboard of Camarines Sur; eastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Batanes and Ilocos Sur; eastern seaboard of Davao Oriental; remaining seaboard of mainland Cagayan – waves up to 3 meters high

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

• Eastern seaboard of Davao Occidental; remaining seaboards of Ilocos Region – waves up to 2 meters high

Ada is the Philippines’ first tropical cyclone for 2026.

PAGASA expects two to eight tropical cyclones to form within or enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility in the first half of 2026. These are the estimates per month:

• January – 0 or 1
• February – 0 or 1
• March – 0 or 1
• April – 0 or 1
• May – 1 or 2
• June – 1 or 2

– Rappler.com