Typhoon ‘Jose’ enters PAR; will enhance southwest monsoon

DOST-PAGASA satellite image

MANILA — The typhoon with international code name “Halong” entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) Saturday night and was named locally as “Jose,” the 10th tropical cyclone to enter the country this year, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Sunday.

In an interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Jun Galang said that as of 8 a.m. Sunday, the eye of typhoon “Jose” was located at 1,120 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora (15.4°N, 133.8°E) packed with maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 220 kph.

It is forecast to move west-northwest at 11 kph.

He said the typhoon is not directly affecting the country and is also not expected to make landfall. He added that with its movement, “Jose” is forecast to exit the PAR by Thursday.

However, Galang said the typhoon is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon — the prevailing wind system during the rainy season — and will bring rains over Zambales and Bataan which may trigger flashfloods and landslides while Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have occasional rains.

He added that the Visayas and Caraga regions will have light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms, while the rest of Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

The state weather bureau also issued a gale warning — strong to gale force winds associated with the southwest monsoon — that will affect the northern and western seaboards of Luzon.

“Fishing boats and other small sea crafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves,” the agency said.

PAGASA also said moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail throughout the entire archipelago and the coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

Meanwhile, for the weekly outlook, PAGASA said that from Monday until Wednesday (Aug. 4-6), the typhoon is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon or “habagat” while traversing the Philippine Sea in a north-northwest direction.

Metro Manila and the provinces of Bataan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Mindoro and the northern part of Palawan will experience monsoon rains while Zambales, Western Visayas and the regions of Ilocos and Bicol will have occasional rains.

The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

PAGASA said that “Jose” is expected to be outside the northern border of the PAR by Thursday morning.

However, it will continue to enhance the habagat, bringing monsoon rains over Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Mindoro provinces until Friday, while Western Visayas and the rest of Luzon will have occasional rains.

The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isoaletd rainshowers or thunderstorms.