
By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Tropical Depression Jacinto, which originated from a low pressure area (LPA) that formed within the coastal waters of Dagupan City, Pangasinan on Wednesday, has exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at 5:00 p.m. Thursday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
Jacinto was last located 470 km west of Iba, Zambales, packing maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h near the center and with gusts up to 55 km/h, moving north northwestward at 10 km/h.
According to PAGASA’s 5:00 p.m. bulletin, Jacinto is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon (habagat), which may bring heavy rainfall over Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Antique, and Negros Occidental on Friday and Saturday.
The weather disturbance will also bring strong to gale-force gusts over most of Luzon and some portions of Visayas and Mindanao on Friday, which include Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Zambales, Bataan, MIMAROPA, Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Central Visayas, Dinagat Islands, and Camiguin.
The state weather bureau, meanwhile, noted rough seas generating up to 3.5 meter high waves over the northern and western seaboards of Calamian Islands, as well as the western seaboard of northern mainland Palawan; and up to 3 meter waves over the western seaboard of mainland, central, and southern Palawan.
Moderate seas are also expected over the following coastal waters, with up to 2.5 meter high waves over the seaboards of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Zambales, and Cagayancillo; including the western seaboards of Pangasinan, Bataan, Lubang Island, Occidental Mindoro.
Two-meter high waves may be experienced in the northern seaboard of mainland Cagayan; the remaining seaboards of Ilocos Region and Palawan; the seaboard of Antique and Zamboanga del Norte; the southern seaboard of Iloilo; the western seaboard of Guimaras; the southern seaboard of Negros Occidental; the western and southern seaboards of Negros Oriental.
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