By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan
MANILA, July 8 (PNA) — Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said typhoon “Falcon” is not expected to make a landfall in any part of the country even as it continues to maintain its strength.
As typhoon “Falcon” moves West Northwest at 20 kph, typhoon “Falcon” will continue to enhance the Southwest Monsoon that induces rains in most parts of Luzon, which threatens to trigger flashflood and landslides, PAGASA said on Wednesday.
In its 5 p.m. weather bulletin, PAGASA said that as of 4 p.m., the eye of typhoon “Falcon” was located, based on all available data, at East of Basco, Batanes (20.6°N, 132.2°E) with maximum sustained winds of 130 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph.
PAGASA weather forecaster Manny Mendoza said that typhoon Falcon is not expected to make landfall in any part of the country as no public storm warning signal has been raised in any part of the country.
Mendoza said with present speed and movement, typhoon Falcon would exit the country on Thursday evening or Friday morning, heading towards Taiwan or China.
He said typhoon Falcon would continue to enhance the Southwest monsoon affecting Luzon and Western Visayas.
In the next 24 hours, Monsoon rains, which may trigger flashfloods and landslides, would be experienced over the regions of Ilocos, Cordillera, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon and Mimaropa.
Occasional rains are expected on Western and Central Visayas. Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms will prevail over the rest of the country.
Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail over the entire archipelago with moderate to rough seas.
Meanwhile, PAGASA downgraded the rainfall advisory in the provinces of Cavite and Laguna from red to orange rainfall but still a moderate to heavy rains are expected in these areas due to southwest monsoon enhanced by tropical storm “Egay.”
The orange rainfall advisory, the second in its three-stage rainfall warning system is raised in areas where rainfall is between 15 mm and 30 mm within one hour. Flooding is a definite threat in communities under the orange alert.
“Yellow” rainfall warning still raise in the provinces of Bataan, Zambales, Batangas, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and Rizal.
Under the heavy rainfall warning system, a yellow rainfall advisory is raised when the expected rainfall amount is between 7.5 mm and 15 mm within one hour and likely to continue.
Communities given this advisory are advised to be aware of the weather condition and warned that flooding may be possible in low-lying areas.
Meanwhile, light to moderate rains affecting portions of Metro Manila, Bulacan and Quezon, which may persist within two to three hours.
The public and the disaster risk reduction and management council concerned are advised to monitor the weather condition and watch for the next advisory to be issued at 8 p.m. Today,”PAGASA noted. (PNA)