PAGASA: Tropical Storm Falcon, LPA boosting habagat

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm Falcon (international name: Danas) and the low pressure area off the waters of Ilocos Sur are enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat, which will bring rains over large part of Luzon and Western Visayas.

In a bulletin issued late Wednesday afternoon, state weather bureau PAGASA said “Falcon” was last seen 265 kilometers east of Calayan, Cagayan. It continues to move north northwest at 20 kilometers per hour.

The tropical storm has maximum sustained winds of up to 65 kph near the center and gusts of up to 80 kph. It is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Friday morning.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 remains hoisted over Batanes. Residents in the province will experience winds between 61 kph and 120 kph in at least 24 hours.

TCWS No. 1 is still up over Apayao, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte and Babuyan Group of Islands. Wind of 30 to 60 kph or intermittent rains may be expected within 36 hours in these areas.

PAGASA warned that sea travel is risky over the seaboards of areas under TCWS, seaboards of Luzon, and the western and eastern seaboards of Visayas.

The low pressure area, meanwhile, was last spotted 180 km west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur. The LPA has low chance of developing into a tropical cyclone but the new weather disturbance and “Falcon” will trigger the southwest monsoon.

Residents of Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, northern Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Islands, and Romblon will experience moderate to at times heavy rains today until Wednesday.

Meanwhile, light to moderate with at times heavy rains will prevail over Metro Manila, and the rest of Luzon and Visayas.

Forecast positions

• Thursday afternoon: 335 km north of Basco, Batanes
• Friday afternoon: 840 km north northeast of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)
• Saturday afternoon: 1,380 km north northeast of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)

— Gaea Katreena Cabico