'Pilandok' set to exit PAR; habagat to continue bringing heavy rains

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm Pilandok (international name: Krovanh) slightly accelerated northwestward over the Philippine Sea and is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Thursday, PAGASA said.

In its 5 a.m. bulletin on Thursday, September 3, the state weather bureau said Pilandok was located 1,030 kilometers east-northeast of extreme Northern Luzon as of 4 a.m.

Pilandok was carrying peak winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center, with gustiness of up to 90 kph and a central pressure of 992 hPa.

It was moving northwestward at 20 kph.

PAGASA said Pilandok is forecast to exit PAR this morning.

Despite the tropical cyclone's departure, the southwest monsoon or habagat will continue to affect parts of the country, bringing heavy rainfall and strong to gale-force winds over several areas through Saturday, September 5.

Strong winds

PAGASA said the southwest monsoon will bring strong to gale-force gusts over most of Luzon and Visayas, as well as Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, Davao Occidental and Davao Oriental until Saturday, September 5.

Strong to gale-force gusts are particularly possible in coastal and upland areas exposed to the winds.

Heavy rainfall

The southwest monsoon or habagat will continue to bring heavy rainfall over parts of Luzon and the Visayas through Saturday, September 5, PAGASA said.

Thursday, September 3

• 50-100 mm: Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan and Occidental Mindoro

Friday, September 4

• 50-100 mm: Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas and Occidental Mindoro

Saturday, September 5

• 100-200 mm: Occidental Mindoro
• 50-100 mm: Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro and Antique

PAGASA said forecast rainfall may be higher in mountainous and elevated areas.

The state weather bureau also warned that the impacts in some areas may be worsened by significant antecedent rainfall.

Sea conditions

A gale warning is raised over the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon.

Very rough seas with waves reaching up to 4.5 meters are expected over the western and southern seaboards of Batanes and the western seaboard of the Babuyan Islands.

Rough seas of up to 4 meters are forecast over the remaining seaboards of Batanes, the northern seaboard of the Babuyan Islands, the seaboards of Ilocos Norte and the northern seaboard of Ilocos Sur.

Waves of up to 3.5 meters are also expected over the remaining seaboard of Ilocos Sur, as well as the seaboards of La Union and Zambales and the western seaboard of Pangasinan.

PAGASA warned that sea travel is risky for all types and tonnage of vessels in areas experiencing very rough seas.

Small seacraft operators, including those using motorbancas, are also advised not to venture out to sea under rough conditions, especially if inexperienced or operating ill-equipped vessels.

Track, intensity

PAGASA said Pilandok is forecast to remain a tropical storm throughout the forecast period.

After exiting PAR, the tropical storm is expected to continue moving generally northwestward toward southern Japan.

Beginning Friday, September 4, until Sunday, September 6, Pilandok is forecast to remain almost stationary before moving generally southward and looping over the Okinawa-Amami islands.

By Monday, September 7, it is expected to move generally southeastward before turning northeastward by Tuesday, September 8.

PAGASA said that heavy rainfall and severe winds may still be experienced in localities outside the forecast confidence cone.

The state weather bureau also said Pilandok's track may still shift within the limit of the forecast confidence cone.