Mindoro Island is expected to be out of harm’s way as Typhoon Ofel (international name: USAGI) tracks toward northern Philippines, with landfall forecast along the eastern coast of Cagayan or Isabela provinces by Thursday afternoon.

The typhoon was located 480 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora at 4:00PM Wednesday, packing maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 150 km/h, the government weather bureau PAGASA reported at 5:00PM today, Nov. 13, 2024.

More areas in northern Luzon were placed under Wind Signal No. 2, including Cagayan, Babuyan Islands, and portions of Isabela and Apayao provinces, as gale-force winds are expected within 24 hours.

Weather forecasters warn of possible storm surges reaching 1.0 to 3.0 meters in coastal areas of Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Cagayan, Isabela, and northern Aurora in the next 48 hours.

Sea travel has been deemed risky for all vessels, with wave heights of up to 10 meters expected along the eastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan and Babuyan Islands.

The typhoon is forecast to steadily intensify before making landfall and could reach its peak intensity upon crossing the coast. It is expected to emerge over the Luzon Strait by Friday before turning northeastward toward Taiwan by Saturday.