Tropical Depression ‘Aere’ Stuck, Continues to Enhance ‘Habagat’

Weakening tropical depression ‘Aere’ (local name ‘Julian’) outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) will still enhance the rain-driving southwest monsoon or ‘habagat’ that is affecting northern and central Luzon, the state weather bureau said.

‘Aere’ is off Batanes province and unable to further move away from the Philippines, continuing to enhance the ‘habagat’, weather forecaster Meno Mendoza of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

“That storm has been almost stationary for days as high-pressure areas are blocking its movement,” he said.

In its 24-hour forecast released Monday, PAGASA located ‘Aere’ outside the PAR at some 485 km. west-northwest of Batanes’ capital of Basco.

‘Aere’ was packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kph and gustiness of up to 90 kph.

Mendoza did not discount the possibility of ‘Aere’ just remaining where it is until the storm dissipates.

He likewise did not expect the storm’s enhancement of the ‘habagat’ to last long.

“Data indicate ‘Aere’ is weakening already and will likely dissipate around middle of this week,” he said.

PAGASA also expects rain from the enhanced ‘habagat’ to be less intense than in previous weeks.

The ‘habagat’ is weakening amid the ongoing transition to the northeast monsoon or ‘amihan’, noted Mendoza.

“We expect ‘amihan’ to commence prevailing around the last week of this month,” he said.

According to Mendoza, no weather system inside or near PAR at present could bring inclement weather to the country.

“There’s low chance for the severe tropical storm withinternational name ‘Songda’ to enter PAR and affect our country,” he also said.

‘Songda’ was packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kph and gustiness of 120 kph but is still far from the country at about 2,615 km. east-northeast of extreme northern Luzon, noted PAGASA.

Authorities said ‘Songda’ is moving west-northwest at 25 kph but may begin turning northeastwards away from PAR early this week.

PAGASA forecast Metro Manila, Luzon’s Calabarzon, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera, Ilocos and Central Luzon regions to experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms during the 24-hour period ending Tuesday morning.

The same conditions are likely in Mindanao’s Davao and SOCCSKSARGEN.

Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms will prevail over the rest of the country, PAGASA said. (PNA) CVL/CJT/EBP