Tropical Storm Ada shifts more northward over Philippine Sea

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Ada (Nokaen) started turning more northward over the Philippine Sea on Friday morning, January 16, while maintaining its strength.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 11 am bulletin on Friday that Ada was located 325 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, as of 10 am.

The tropical storm is moving north or upward at 15 kilometers per hour, still with maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h and gustiness of up to 80 km/h.

Ada is still projected to pass close to Eastern Samar and Northern Samar on Saturday, January 17, and Catanduanes from Saturday evening to Sunday, January 18.

But PAGASA reiterated that a westward shift in Ada’s track may lead to landfall in Eastern Visayas and/or Bicol. Its track can still change, especially by Saturday onwards.

Ada is causing moderate to intense rain, mostly in Eastern Visayas and Bicol, in the next couple of days. Here is PAGASA’s updated rainfall outlook as of 11 am on Friday:

Friday noon, January 16, to Saturday noon, January 17

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

Saturday noon, January 17, to Sunday noon, January 18

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

Sunday noon, January 18, to Monday noon, January 19

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur

Meanwhile, these are the areas under Signal No. 1, which means they have strong winds from the tropical storm:

• eastern part of Camarines Norte (Mercedes, Basud, San Lorenzo Ruiz, San Vicente, Daet, Talisay, Vinzons)
• Camarines Sur
• Catanduanes
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• eastern part of mainland Masbate (Pio V. Corpuz, Cataingan, Palanas, Dimasalang, Uson, Mobo, Masbate City, Baleno, Aroroy) including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Northern Samar
• Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Biliran
• northern and central parts of Leyte (Carigara, Barugo, San Miguel, Babatngon, Tacloban City, Tunga, Jaro, Alangalang, Santa Fe, Palo, Dagami, Pastrana, Tanauan, Tabontabon, Julita, Dulag, Tolosa, La Paz, Mayorga, MacArthur, Javier, Abuyog, Mahaplag, Kananga, Capoocan, Leyte, Calubian, San Isidro, Tabango, Burauen, Ormoc City, Matag-ob, Villaba, Albuera, Palompon, Merida, Isabel, Baybay City) 
• eastern part of Southern Leyte (Silago, Sogod, Libagon, Saint Bernard, Hinunangan, Hinundayan, Anahawan, San Juan, Liloan, San Ricardo, San Francisco, Pintuyan)
• Dinagat Islands
• Siargao-Bucas Grande Islands

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 storm may also bring strong to gale-force gusts to these areas:

Friday, January 16

• Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Aurora, Quezon, Lubang Islands, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Marinduque, Cuyo Islands, Bicol, Visayas, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, Sarangani

Saturday, January 17

• Batanes, Babuyan Islands, northern and eastern mainland Cagayan, eastern Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Aurora, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Marinduque, Cuyo Islands, Bicol, Visayas, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte

Sunday, January 18

• Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Abra, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Quezon, Marinduque, Romblon, Bicol, Eastern Visayas

In addition, PAGASA warned the public that there is a minimal to moderate risk of storm surges with peak heights of up to 2 meters in Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, and Dinagat Islands within 48 hours.

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Moderate to rough seas also persist in certain seaboards on Friday.

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

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

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

• Seaboards of Batanes, Ilocos Norte, and Davao Oriental; northern seaboard of mainland Cagayan; eastern seaboard of Camarines Sur; remaining seaboards of Catanduanes and Babuyan Islands – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Eastern seaboard of Davao Occidental – 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