by Ellalyn V. Ruiz
Typhoon “Gorio” (international name “Nesat”) left the country’s area of responsibility but another tropical cyclone entered and directly affected parts of Northern Luzon yesterday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration said Gorio left the Philippine Area of Responsibility early yesterday morning and lifted the tropical cyclone warning signal raised over Batanes.
A few hours later, tropical storm “Huaning” (international name “Haitang”) entered the PAR, prompting the PAGASA to raise tropical cyclone warning signal No. 1 over Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Babuyan Islands, and the northwestern part of Cagayan.
Huaning was seen 185 kilometers northwest of Basco, Batanes, with maximum sustained winds of 80 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 110 kph at around 5 p.m. yesterday.
PAGASA does not expect Huaning to make landfall over any part of the Philippines as it is on its way towards the southern part of Taiwan yesterday afternoon.
However, Huaning will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon or “habagat” which will bring moderate to occasional heavy rains over the western section of Central and Northern Luzon.
Cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms will be experienced over the rest of Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley, while partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorm will prevail over Metro Manila and the rest of the country.
Should it maintain its northeast track at 24 kph, Huaning will be outside the country’s area of responsibility this morning.
PAGASA weather forecaster Gener Quitlong Quitlong said Huaning is expected to weaken as it makes landfall over southern Taiwan yesterday afternoon.