TD off Batanes won’t enter PAR, ‘habagat’ to bring rains over Luzon

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MANILA — The tropical depression outside the country’s area of responsibility has small chance to enter the country but still expect occasional rains due to southwest monsoon or “hanging habagat” affecting Luzon, the state weather bureau said on Saturday.

In an interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Jori Loiz said as of 4 a.m. the tropical depression outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) was estimated at 500 km west of Basco, Batanes (20.2ºN, 116.5ºE).

Loiz said based on their models the tropical depression is not expected to enter PAR since it is moving north northwest towards China.

He added the tropical depression cannot recurve since there is a high-pressure area in Taiwan which prevent it from moving back.

But Loiz said PAGASA continues to monitor the weather disturbance.

Should the a cyclone move inside the PAR, he said it will be locally codenamed “Florita.”

He added the tropical depression has no direct affect on the country, however, it continues to enhance the southwest monsoon which will bring rains in most parts of Luzon especially extreme northern Luzon.

Loiz said due to southwest monsoon Batanes, Calayan and Babuyan group of islands, the regions of Ilocos, Cordillera, and the provinces of Zambales, Tarlac, Bataan, Pampanga and Bulacan will experience monsoon rains while Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon and the provinces of Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Mindoro and Palawan will have occasional rains.

He said rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

The state weather bureau issued gale warning as strong to gale force winds associated with the surge of southwest monsoon as enhance by tropical depression which would affect northern and western seaboard of Northern and Central Luzon and the western seaboard of Southern Luzon.

“Fishing boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves.”