‘Igme’ won’t hit land but will enhance monsoon

MANILA -- Tropical Depression “Igme” (international name: Tembin) will not make landfall but is expected to bring rains in Metro Manila and other provinces in western Luzon this week, said weather forecasters Sunday.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) administrator Nathaniel Servando said Igme will not directly hit any part of the country since its westerly movement brings it closer to Taiwan.

“Igme will trigger southwest monsoon but not strong enough to bring heavy rains in Metro Manila. It will be light to occasional heavy rains. The storm is slowly moving so we expect this to leave the country by Wednesday or Thursday,” Servando told Sun.Star.

A forecast track posted online by the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) showed Igme will intensify into a typhoon before crossing Taiwan on Thursday.

On Sunday, the weather bureau raised storm warning signal number 1 over Isabela and Cagayan, where residents are set to experience winds of 45 to 60 kilometers per hour (kph) within the next 36 hours.

Track of Tropical Storm Igme as of 8 p.m., August 19, 2012

At 10:30 p.m. Sunday, Igme was estimated at 315 kilometers east southeast of Aparri, Cagayan, packing maximum winds of 75 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.

Pagasa said Igme carries about five to 10 millimeters (mm) per hour (moderate-heavy) of rainfall within its 400 kilometer diameter coverage, warning possible flashfloods and landslides in low lying and mountainous areas of Northern Luzon.

The weather bureau said Igme will bring light to moderate rains over rest of Northern Luzon, particularly in the provinces of Benguet, Baguio, Pangasinan, La Union, and Ilocos, as well as in Central and Southern Luzon, especially over the western section, as it triggers the southwest monsoon.

Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are also advised not to venture out into the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon due to the tropical depression and the surge of southwest monsoon.

Igme is expected to be at 375 kilometers east northeast of Aparri, Cagayan by Monday evening; 450 kilometers northeast of the same tonw by Tuesday evening; and 340 kilometers northeast of Basco, Batanes by Wednesday evening. (Virgil Lopez/PNA/Sunnex)