By ELLALYN V. RUIZ
Monsoon rains will continue to affect some areas in Luzon, especially in the western section, as a typhoon near the tip of Northern Luzon enhances the effect of southwest monsoon or “habagat.”
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration estimated the location of the typhoon with international name “Soulik” at 1,800 kilometers east-northeast of extreme Northern Luzon before noon yesterday.
It is unlikely to enter the country’s area of responsibility but the typhoon is stirring up the southwest monsoon affecting the western section of Luzon.
Cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms will affect Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Zambales, and Bataan.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms.
PAGASA said the typhoon may slightly enhance the southwest monsoon by tomorrow, which could bring occasional moderate to heavy rains across extreme Northern Luzon, particularly over Babuyan Islands, Batanes, and the northern portion of Ilocos Norte.
It advised seafarers that moderate to strong seas will prevail over the northern and western sections of Luzon due to habagat.
Coastlines across the rest of the country will be light to moderate.
