TROPICAL Storm Dante (international name: Francisco) has exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said as of 3 p.m. on July 24, Dante is no longer within PAR.
Dante, along with Typhoon Emong, is enhancing habagat (southwest mMonsoon), bringing heavy rains that cause massive flooding in various parts of the country, particularly Luzon.
As of 1 p.m., the weather bureau said Emong was spotted at 175kilometersr (km) west of Dagupan City, Pangasinan packed with maximum sustained winds of 120 km per hour (km/h) near the center, gustiness of up to 150 km/h, and central pressure of 975 hecto pascals (hPa).
It is almost stationary over the sea in the west of Pangasinan.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) was hoisted over the northern portion of Pangasinan (Anda, Bolinao, Bani), the western portion of La Union (Luna, Balaoan, Bacnotan, San Juan, City of San Fernando, Bauang, Caba, Bangar), and the western portion of Ilocos Sur (San Esteban, Santiago, City of Candon, Santa Lucia, Santa Cruz, Tagudin, Santo Domingo, Cabugao, Sinait, Magsingal, San Juan, Bantay, San Vicente, San Ildefonso, Santa Catalina, City of Vigan, Caoayan, Santa, Narvacan, Santa Maria, Nagbukel, Burgos, Banayoyo), and the western portion of Abra (San Quintin, Langiden).
Ilocos Norte, the rest of Ilocos Sur, the rest of La Union, and central portion of Pangasinan (Agno, Burgos, Mabini, City of Alaminos, Sual, Labrador, Bugallon, Infanta, Dasol, Lingayen, Binmaley, Dagupan City, Calasiao, Santa Barbara, Mangaldan, Mapandan, Manaoag, Laoac, Binalonan, San Manuel, San Nicolas, Pozorrubio, Sison, San Fabian, San Jacinto), the rest of Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Babuyan Islands, the northern and western portion of mainland Cagayan (Rizal, Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Allacapan, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Lal-Lo, Lasam, Santo Niño, Piat, Tuao), and the western portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kayapa, Santa Fe) was placed under TCWS No. 2.
Placed under TCWS No. 1 are Batanes, the rest of Cagayan, the western and central portions of Isabela (Santo Tomas, Delfin Albano, Quezon, Mallig, Quirino, Roxas, San Manuel, Aurora, San Mateo, Ramon, Cordon, Burgos, Cabatuan, Cabagan, San Pablo, Santa Maria, Tumauini, Gamu, Luna, Maconacon, Alicia, San Mariano, Naguilian, San Guillermo, City of Cauayan, Echague, Ilagan City, Angadanan, Benito Soliven, City of Santiago, Reina Mercedes, San Agustin, Divilacan, San Isidro, Jones), the rest of Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, the rest of Pangasinan, the northern and central portions of Zambales (Santa Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig, Iba, Botolan, Cabangan), Tarlac, and the western and central portions of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Lupao, Talugtug, Cuyapo, Nampicuan, Guimba, Science City of Muñoz, San Jose City, Pantabangan, Rizal, Llanera, Talavera, Santo Domingo, Quezon, Licab, Aliaga, Zaragoza, San Antonio, Jaen, Cabanatuan City, Santa Rosa, General Mamerto Natividad, Palayan City, Bongabon, Laur).
“Emong is currently almost stationary and is starting to turn northeastward towards the coastal waters of Pangasinan. The typhoon is then forecast to accelerate northeastward tonight and make landfall over La Union, Ilocos Sur, or Ilocos Norte tomorrow (25 July) morning. A close approach over northwestern Pangasinan between this evening and tomorrow early morning prior to landfall further north is not ruled out,” said Pagasa.
“After briefly crossing the mountainous terrain of northwestern Luzon, Emong will continue accelerating northeastward over Luzon Strait and the Philippine Sea east of Taiwan. Between tomorrow noon and evening, it may pass close or make landfall over Babuyan Islands and Batanes,” it added.
Due to favorable atmospheric and oceanic environment, Emong may still briefly intensify prior to landfall.
“While a landfall scenario as a typhoon remains the more likely scenario, a slight weakening prior to landfall due to increasing interaction with the terrain of northwestern Luzon is not ruled out. Nevertheless, the passage of Emong will trigger a weakening trend, which is expected to continue for the rest of the forecast period,” the agency said.
The Pagasa earlier said that a low-pressure area which is monitored outside PAR has already developed into a tropical depression. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)