Tropical cyclone wind signal No. 1 was hoisted over Batanes and Babuyan Group of Islands as severe tropical storm “Hanna” (international name “Lekima”) intensified into a typhoon yesterday.
As of noon yesterday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration said Hanna was packing maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph and slowly moving north-northwest.
The possibility of landfall remains remote but Hanna’s outer cloud bands may bring light to moderate with at times heavy rains and gusty winds in Batanes and Babuyan Group of Islands, said PAGASA weather specialist Chris Perez.
He added that Hanna will likely leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility tomorrow.
As Hanna generally moves north, Perez said the concentration of the southwest monsoon or “habagat” rains will gradually shift towards the western sections of Northern, Central, and Southern Luzon today.
Moderate to heavy monsoon rains may affect Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Zambales, Bataan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, and northern portions of Palawan, including Calamian and Cuyo Islands.
Meanwhile, light to moderate with at times heavy rains may prevail over Western Visayas and the rest of Luzon.
The public should remain alert against possible flash floods and rain-induced landslides, Perez said.
Likewise, fisherfolk and those with small sea craft should not venture out to the seaboards of areas under Signal No. 1, seaboards of Luzon and Visayas, and northern and eastern seaboards of Mindanao due to big waves generated by Hanna and the southwest monsoon.
Aside from Hanna, PAGASA is also monitoring two weather disturbances near the country.
A severe tropical storm with international name “Krosa” was estimated 2,055 kms east of extreme Northern Luzon. This weather disturbance is not expected to enter the PAR.
A low-pressure area is lingering off the West Philippine Sea or 325 kms west of Dagupan City. It is likely to develop into a tropical depression within 24 hours but Perez said they are not discounting the possibility that the LPA may intensify into a tropical cyclone beyond the 24-hour monitoring period.
Perez said the combined effects of Hanna, Krosa, and the LPA will likely further boost the impact of habagat over the Philippines in the next three to five days. (Ellalyn V. Ruiz)