Tropical Depression Wilma slows down over Philippine Sea

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Wilma slowed down over the Philippine Sea on Thursday afternoon, December 4, as it started bringing rain to several provinces.

Wilma was last spotted 575 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar, as of 4 pm on Thursday. It is moving west southwest at just 10 kilometers per hour from its previous speed of 20 km/h.

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

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Wilma remains likely to make its first landfall in Eastern Visayas or Dinagat Islands between Friday evening, December 5, and Saturday morning, December 6.

Afterwards, it may cross the Visayas until Sunday, December 7; emerge over the Sulu Sea; and move over the northern portion of Palawan between Sunday evening and Monday morning, December 8.

PAGASA added that Wilma could slightly intensify before hitting land, “but will likely remain a tropical depression throughout the forecast period.”

The weather bureau urged the public to watch out for floods and landslides, as significant rain from Wilma is beginning to affect portions of the Visayas and Mindanao. Here is the updated rainfall outlook, released at 5 pm on Thursday:

Thursday afternoon, December 4, to Friday afternoon, December 5

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 millimeters): Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Leyte, Southern Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Siquijor, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin

Friday afternoon, December 5, to Saturday afternoon, December 6

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Southern Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Antique, Guimaras, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands

Saturday afternoon, December 6, to Sunday afternoon, December 7

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

PAGASA also placed more areas under Signal No. 1 as of 5 pm on Thursday, which means they will have strong winds due to Wilma. The latest list includes the following:

• southern part of mainland Masbate (Cataingan, Pio V. Corpuz, Esperanza, Placer)
• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• northern part of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin, Bogo City, San Remigio, Tabogon, Borbon, Tabuelan, Tuburan, Sogod, Catmon, Asturias, Carmen, Danao City, Balamban, Compostela, Liloan, Consolacion, Cebu City, Mandaue City, Cordova, Lapu-Lapu City) including Bantayan and Camotes Islands
• eastern and central parts of Bohol (Inabanga, Sagbayan, Carmen, Garcia Hernandez, Jagna, Sierra Bullones, Pilar, Duero, Guindulman, Anda, Candijay, Mabini, Alicia, Ubay, President Carlos P. Garcia, San Miguel, Dagohoy, Danao, Buenavista, Getafe, Trinidad, Talibon, Bien Unido)
• Surigao del Norte including Siargao Island and Bucas Grande Island
• Dinagat Islands
• northern part of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen)
• northern part of Agusan del Norte (Kitcharao, Jabonga, Santiago, Tubay, Cabadbaran City)

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

Thursday, December 4

• Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley Aurora, Bataan, Calabarzon, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Marinduque, Bicol, Visayas

Friday, December 5

• most of Luzon and Visayas

Saturday, December 6

• most of Luzon, Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Misamis Occidental

Conditions in seaboards affected by Wilma and the northeast monsoon are dangerous as well.

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

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

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

• Seaboards of Batanes; western seaboard of Babuyan Islands; remaining seaboards of Aurora; western seaboard of Ilocos Norte; eastern seaboards of Dinagat Islands and Siargao-Bucas Grande Islands; seaboard of northern mainland Quezon – waves up to 4 meters high
• Northern seaboards of Cagayan and Ilocos Norte; remaining seaboards of Babuyan Islands; seaboard of La Union – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Pangasinan and Surigao del Sur – 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 Bataan and Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island, and northern Palawan; eastern seaboard of Davao Oriental – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Eastern seaboard of northern Palawan including Cuyo Islands; seaboards of Romblon, Aklan, and Antique; northwestern seaboard of Masbate including Burias Islands; western seaboard of Marinduque; eastern seaboard of Oriental Mindoro – 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

Meanwhile, in Bicol, the current source of rain is the shear line, or the point where cold air from the northeast monsoon converges with the easterlies or warm winds from the Pacific Ocean. Moderate to intense rain is hitting the region.

Thursday afternoon, December 4, to Friday afternoon, December 5

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

Friday afternoon, December 5, to Saturday afternoon, December 6

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

Saturday afternoon, December 6, to Sunday afternoon, December 7

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

Areas affected by the shear line must be on alert for floods and landslides, too. – Rappler.com