Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
High risk of tropical development off US Atlantic coast. Get details Chevron right
Storms to spark on July 4th in parts of the Plains and Southeast. Click here Chevron right

Columbus, OH

83°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

83°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Newsletters

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Hurricane

Typhoon Ambo makes 1st landfall in Philippines

By Maura Kelly, AccuWeather meteorologist & Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

Published May 10, 2020 7:43 PM EDT

Copied

Due to the pandemic, more people might be less likely to evacuate to a shelter before a hurricane, but is it ever a good idea to stay home when the storm hits?

Typhoon Ambo has made the first of numerous expected landfalls over the eastern Philippines on Thursday. Although forecasters expect the typhoon to begin to weaken, it will still forge a path of destruction over the northern islands through the weekend.

The powerful storm, also referred to as Vongfong by Japan Meteorological Agency, has been slowly approaching the eastern islands of the Philippines for days.

Now with sustained winds of 155 km/h (96 mph), Ambo is equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic and East Pacific basins.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Typhoon Ambo made landfall over San Policarpo, in the Eastern Samar province of the Philippines at 12:15 p.m. local time.

at 12:15PM (14 May 2020): Typhoon #AmboPH has made landfall over San Policarpio, Eastern Samar. pic.twitter.com/B7yDovS9vv

— PAGASA-DOST (@dost_pagasa) May 14, 2020

In preparation of the storm, towns forecast to be in the path of the typhoon have began to issue evacuations and distribution of relief packages. A total of 515 families were evacuated from the towns of Maninila, Tandarora and Muladbucad Grande, all in the Albay area between the cities of Naga and Legazpi City.

Given the continuation of the global COVID-19 pandemic, evacuees were required to wear face masks.

The above video shows Vongfong, also known as Ambo in the Philippines, spinning as it strengthens on its approach on Wednesday evening, May 13. (CIRA/RAMMB)

(Image/CIRA RAMMB)

The brunt of the storm will continue to impact the island Thursday with typhoon-strength winds and heavy rainfall likely.

AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk expects Ambo to begin to weaken into Thursday night. But, the exact track that Ambo takes will ultimately influence how long the weakening process will take.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

"The mountains on each of the islands have the potential to rip Ambo apart and weaken it considerably. The longer Ambo remains over water, the stronger it will remain," Houk added.

While several landfalls are possible, each one that Ambo makes will increase the chances that the storm will weaken.

However, if landfalls and land interaction are minimized, sustained winds of up to 160 km/h (100 mph) are possible with wind gusts near an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 200 km/h (125 mph).

The most likely track, at this time, keeps the center of Ambo over the most southern portion of Luzon through early Saturday, local time, which may allow it to hold onto its identity as a typhoon a little longer.

Related:

Philippines Weather Homepage
Tropical threat still looms in the Bay of Bengal
Daily coronavirus briefing: Protesters fed up with lockdown take unique approach in Florida

"There will be a lot of moisture associated with this system, which will help to create a wide swath of heavy rain across the central and northern Philippines through the weekend," said Houk.

As much as 50 to 100 mm (2-4 inches) is possible just north of Cebu and all the way up to Manila.

Heavy tropical downpours throughout the second half of the week can increase the risk of flooding and mudslides across the area.

The heaviest rain is likely to follow the center of the storm and extend just to the east, as moisture is pulled in from the warm Philippine Sea. It is in this region that the AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 300 mm (12 inches) is most likely.

The steadiest downpours are expected to remain north and east of Manila, but should Ambo wobble once moving into Luzon, some heavier downpours may reach the suburbs as well as Quezon City and Caloocan.

Even as Ambo loses wind strength at the end of the weekend and moves off to the north of the Philippines, other land areas could be impacted. While most of the rain is likely to remain east of Taiwan, the southernmost islands of Japan may experience gusty winds and flooding downpours.

Vongfong, known as Ambo by the Philippines, continues to slowly approach the Philippines on the evening of Wednesday, May 13 (CIRA/RAMMB).

AccuWeather is predicting a slow start to the West Pacific basin for this tropical season. The West Pacific tropical season runs throughout the early winter, but most activity occurs between May and October.

Forecasters began monitoring a tropical low over the southern Philippine Sea over the weekend, when it brought heavy rain and thunderstorms to Palau.

Late in the day on Sunday, the low developed into a tropical depression and was given the name Ambo by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. The system was upgraded to a tropical storm on Tuesday then to a severe tropical storm on Wednesday. Ambo became the first named tropical system in the Northern Pacific Ocean of 2020.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.

Report a Typo
Comments that don't add to the conversation may be automatically or manually removed by Facebook or AccuWeather. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.
Comments
Hide Comments

Weather News

Weather News

Passenger ferry sinks off Bali killing 5 people, 29 unaccounted for

Jul. 3, 2025
video

Bomb cyclone slams Australia with heavy rain and intense winds

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather Forecasts

Storms to spark on July 4th in parts of the Plains and Southeast

6 hours ago

Weather News

Madre Fire grows to 52,000 acres, now California’s largest wildfire of...

1 hour ago

Hurricane

High risk for tropical development off US Atlantic coast

1 hour ago

Travel

Passengers scramble out of plane in St. Louis after report of smoke

12 hours ago

Weather News

Alabama teen struck by lightning while using phone during storm

9 hours ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Weather News

‘Shark Whisperer’ swims its way into our shark obsession

1 day ago

Weather News

Endangered turtles share this Mexican beach with SpaceX rocket debris

1 day ago

Travel

Fourth of July gas hasn’t been this cheap since 2021

2 days ago

Weather News

What makes fireworks burst with vibrant colors?

1 week ago

Health

There is no safe amount of processed meat to eat, new research shows

12 hours ago

AccuWeather Hurricane Typhoon Ambo makes 1st landfall in Philippines
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...