By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced the intensification of “Emong” into a tropical storm in its 5:00 p.m. bulletin.
Tropical Storm Emong was last located 150 km west of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 85 kph as it moves southwestward at 20 kph.
Due to Emong’s proximity to Northern Luzon, PAGASA placed most of Region I (Ilocos Region) and select provinces in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1:
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- Apayao
- Abra
- Benguet
- Northern and western portions of Pangasinan (Dasol, Burgos, Agno, Bani, Bolinao, Alaminos City, Mabini, Anda, Labrador, Sual, Binmaley, Dagupan City, Lingayen, Bugallon, Infanta, Sison, Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto, Pozorrubio)
“Bukas, makikita natin, from papuntang southwest ay magnonorth-east na ang track ni Emong. Ibig sabihin nito, magtatagal si Emong sa western part ng Luzon,” PAGASA Weather Specialist John Manalo explained the expected track of TS Emong, which may approach or have landfall over the Ilocos Region.
“Eventually, magtutuloy-tuloy siya pa north-east hanggang sa lumabas ito ng Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Saturday evening or Sunday ng umaga,” he added, noting that TS Emong may loop over the West Philippine Sea due to its interaction with Dante.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Dante (international name: Francisco) was monitored 835 km east northeast of Extreme Northern Luzon, maintaining maximum sustained winds of 65 kph and gustiness of up to 80 kph as it moved north northwestward at 25 kph. Dante may exit the PAR by Thursday afternoon or evening, July 24.
Both tropical cyclones will also be enhancing the southwest monsoon (habagat), bringing moderate to torrential rains in most parts of Luzon and some areas in Visayas in the next three days.
The state weather bureau also issued a 24 hour rainfall forecast for Thursday, with the provinces of Zambales, Bataan, and Occidental Mindoro expected to receive 200 mm of rainfall, which may cause “widespread incidents of severe flooding and landslides.”
Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union Pangasinan, Benguet, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Batangas may experience heavy to intense rainfall.
Light to moderate rainfall may prevail over the provinces of Apayao, Abra, Cagayan, Isabela, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Quezon Province, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Romblon, and Antique.
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