Pilandok develops inside PAR, enhances monsoon

MANILA, Philippines — A tropical depression has developed inside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) and was given the local name Pilandok, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

Pilandok developed around 8 a.m. yesterday and was last located at 1,180 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon. It was packing winds of 45 km per hour and winds of 55 kph while moving slowly northwestward.

PAGASA weather specialist Daniel James Villamil said that Pilandok, while not directly affecting the country, will pull up and enhance the monsoon winds.

“Let us expect cloudy skies and high chances of rainfall in Luzon and Western Visayas,” Villamil said in a press briefing. “These are significant rains so we should be ready for flooding and landslides.”

The enhanced southwest monsoon will bring strong gale-force gusts over most of the country tomorrow.

Pilandok is the 16th tropical cyclone in the country this year and the fifth this month.

It exceeded the projected number of tropical cyclones to enter or form inside PAR this month after Luis, Maymay, Neneng and Obet.

Prolonged and widespread disruption to households and businesses is anticipated in parts of Bataan, Pampanga, Zambales and parts of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac till Wednesday.

Villamil said Pilandok is expected to downgrade into a low-pressure area tomorrow morning but will still enhance the southwest monsoon.

Monsoon rains will also be felt in Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga. 

Metro Manila, the rest of the Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Occidental Mindoro will experience occasional rains.