Typhoon ‘Jose’ continues to enhance ‘habagat,’ dump more rains

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MANILA — Typhoon “Jose” has maintained its strength as it continues to enhance the southwest monsoon or “hanging habagat” that will bring rains in most parts of the country in Tuesday, according to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

As of 4 a.m. Tuesday, the eye of typhoon Jose was spotted 745 km east of Aparri, Cagayan packed with maximum sustained winds of 165 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 200 kph.

Typhoon Jose continues to move north-northwest and has accelerated its speed from 11 kph to 13 kph.

With its movement, PAGASA weather forecaster Jori Loiz said it is expected to leave Philippine Area of Responsibility by Thursday and is likely to head towards Japan.

Loiz said the typhoon is still not directly affecting the country and is not expected to make landfall as no public storm warning signal has been raised in any part of the country.

However, Loiz said the typhoon continues to enhance the southwest monsoon which will bring monsoon rains over Ilocos region and Central Luzon — it may also trigger flash floods and landslides.

“Residents in these areas are advised to be alert against possible flash floods and landslides,” PAGASA warned.

For Tuesday forecast, Loiz said Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have occasional rains while Visayas will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms and 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 as enhance by typhoon Jose — that will affect the 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 over Luzon and Visayas and coming from the south to southwest over Mindanao.

The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be moderate to rough.

Meanwhile, PAGASA issued a “yellow” rainfall warning around 4 a.m. in the provinces of Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Bataan and Zambales.

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.

It added light to moderate with occasional heavy rains affecting portions of Rizal, Quezon and Tarlac which may persist within three hours while expect light to moderate with occasional heavy rains over Metro Manila within the next two hours.

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