Typhoon ‘Luis’ to Exit PHL Noontime Monday — PAGASA

Manila (PNA) — Typhoon “Luis” is now over the west Philippine sea as it continues to move away from the country, according to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Monday.

In an interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Buddy Javier said that as of 5 a.m. the eye of typhoon Luis was located at 120 km northwest of Laoag City (18.5N, 119.5E) packed with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometer per hour (kph) and its gustiness of 150 kph.

He added the typhoon continues to move west northwest and accelerated its speed from 22 kph on Sunday to 30 kph on Monday morning.

Maintaing its speed and movement, the typhoon is expected to be out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) before noon Monday towards the direction of Vietnam or southern China.

Once Luis exits PAR, the weather is expected to improve.

For this PAGASA has lowered the public storm warning signal in some areas.

Javier said public storm warning signal No. 3 (winds of 101-185 kilometers per hour (kph) is still expected — in at least 18 hours — in Ilocos Norte.

Meanwhile, the areas placed under public storm warning signal No. 2 (61-100 kph winds is expected in at least 24 hours) are Cagayan including Babuyan and Calayan Group of Islands, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mt. Province and Ilocos Sur.

Public storm warning signal No. 1 (30-60 kph winds is expected in at least 36 hours), on the other hand, is hoisted over Isabela, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan and Batanes Group of Islands, northern Quezon and Pollilo Island.

PAGASA said residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under signals #3 #2 & #1 are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides. Likewise, those living in coastal areas under signals #3 and #2 are alerted against storm surges of up to two meters.

It added the estimated rainfall amount is from 8–20 mm per hour (heavy to intense) within the 500 km diameter of the typhoon.

The rest of Luzon will have monsoon rains with moderate to strong southwesterly surface windflow due to the southwest monsoon, he said.

Javier also said the state weather bureau issued gale warning — strong to gale force winds associated with the surge of southwest monsoon enhanced by typhoon Luis is expected to affect the seaboards of Luzon and western and central seaboards of Visayas.

“The fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger vessels are alerted against big waves,” PAGASA warned.

Meanwhile, Javier said the state weather bureau issued a orange rainfall warning in Metro Manila as well as in some Luzon provinces as it expects heavy to intense rains.

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.

Javier said the orange rainfall warning issued at 4 a.m., as heavy to at times intense rains is expected to affect Metro Manila, Batangas, Bataan‬, ‪Cavite‬, Nueva‬ Ecija‬‬, ‪Tarlac‬ and ‪Zambales‬.

Meanwhile, yellow rainfall warning is also expected in the provinces of Bulacan‬, ‪Laguna‬, ‪Pampanga‬ and ‪Rizal also at ‬around 4 a.m. Monday.

Residents of the above-mentioned areas are advised to take precautionary measures.

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.

For Monday forecast, PAGASA said the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Ilocos Sur and Cagayan including Babuyan and Calayan group of islands will experience stormy weather with rough to very rough seas.

It added the provinces of Isabela, Benguet, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, La Union and Batanes group of islands will have rains with gusty winds while Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will experience monsoon rains which may trigger flasfloods and landslides.

Visayas and Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms. (PNA) JBP/CLTC