MANILA, Philippines – Emong intensified from a tropical depression into a tropical storm over the West Philippine Sea at 2 pm on Wednesday, July 23.

Both Emong and Tropical Storm Dante (Francisco) are still enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat. Their difference is that Emong is also directly affecting parts of the country, unlike Dante which remains far from land.

Emong

In a briefing past 5 pm on Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Emong’s maximum sustained winds increased from 45 kilometers per hour to 65 km/h. Its gustiness is now up to 80 km/h from the previous 55 km/h.

The tropical storm was last spotted 150 kilometers west of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, at 4 pm. It slowed down, moving southwest at 20 km/h from 35 km/h.

In the next 24 hours, the Ilocos Region, much of the Cordillera Administrative Region, and parts of Cagayan Valley may face moderate to intense rain due to Emong. Here is PAGASA’s rainfall outlook covering the immediate 72-hour period:

Wednesday afternoon, July 23, to Thursday afternoon, July 24

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 millimeters): Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Benguet, Pangasinan
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Cagayan, Abra, Kalinga, Apayao, Isabela

Thursday afternoon, July 24, to Friday afternoon, July 25

• Intense to torrential rain (above 200 mm): Pangasinan, La Union
• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Benguet
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao

Friday afternoon, July 25, to Saturday afternoon, July 26

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): La Union, Pangasinan
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Benguet

Signal No. 1 was also raised in more areas as of 5 pm on Wednesday, which means they will have strong winds because of the tropical storm:

• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• northern and western parts 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)
• Apayao
• Abra
• Benguet

PAGASA sees Emong maintaining its southwest direction on Wednesday evening before looping over the West Philippine Sea from Thursday morning to afternoon, July 24, due to its “interaction” with Dante.

Afterwards, it might speed up while heading northeast, and make landfall in Ilocos Sur, La Union, or Pangasinan on Thursday evening or early Friday morning, July 25.

“This tropical cyclone will emerge over the Luzon Strait on Friday afternoon after crossing the mountainous terrain of Northern Luzon,” added the weather bureau.

Prior to its possible landfall, Emong could strengthen into a severe tropical storm, but it would probably weaken back into a tropical storm after hitting land.

Dante

Meanwhile, Dante was last spotted 835 kilometers east northeast of extreme Northern Luzon at 4 pm on Wednesday, moving north northwest at a faster 25 km/h from 15 km/h.

It continues to have maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h and gustiness of up to 80 km/h, but may slightly strengthen in the next 12 hours. “Further intensification into a severe tropical storm remains less likely but is not ruled out,” added PAGASA.

There are no rainfall warnings or tropical cyclone wind signals raised due to Dante since it is staying far from Philippine landmass. But again, it continues to enhance the southwest monsoon.

Dante might leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday afternoon or evening as it heads for Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and the East China Sea.

Enhanced southwest monsoon

The enhanced southwest monsoon continues to dump moderate to torrential rain in parts of Luzon as well as Antique. Below is PAGASA’s updated rainfall outlook.

Wednesday afternoon, July 23, to Thursday afternoon, July 24

• Intense to torrential rain (above 200 mm): Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro
• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Metro Manila, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Nueva Ecija, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Marinduque, Romblon, Antique

Thursday afternoon, July 24, to Friday afternoon, July 25

• Intense to torrential rain (above 200 mm): Zambales
• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Laguna, Rizal, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Marinduque, Romblon

Friday afternoon, July 25, to Saturday afternoon, July 26

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Zambales
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan

The southwest monsoon is also bringing strong to gale-force gusts to these areas:

Wednesday, July 23

• Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Bicol, Mimaropa, Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, Davao Oriental

Thursday, July 24

• Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Bicol, Mimaropa, Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Camiguin, Davao Oriental

Friday, July 25

• Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Bicol, Mimaropa, Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Camiguin, Davao Oriental

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In the next 24 hours, certain seaboards will see worsening conditions, especially the western seaboard of Pangasinan, which has been placed under a gale warning due to Emong.

Up to very rough seas (travel is risky for all vessels)

• Western seaboard of Pangasinan – waves up to 6 meters high
• Western seaboards of Zambales and Bataan – waves up to 4.5 meters high

Up to rough seas (small vessels should not venture out to sea)

• Seaboard of Lubang Island – waves up to 4 meters high
• Western seaboards of Ilocos Sur, La Union, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, and Calamian Islands – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Batanes, Marinduque, and Kalayaan Islands; western seaboard of Babuyan Island; southern seaboard of Quezon; eastern seaboard of Oriental Mindoro; northern and western seaboards of Romblon – waves up to 3 meters high

Up to moderate seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible)

• Remaining seaboards of Babuyan Islands, Bataan, Cavite, and Calamian Islands; seaboards of Isabela, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, and Surigao del Sur; western seaboards of Bicol, mainland Palawan, and Antique; eastern seaboard of Davao Oriental – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Seaboards of mainland Cagayan, Aurora, Aklan, and Northern Samar; remaining seaboards of Bicol, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, and Palawan; southwestern seaboards of Negros Occidental and Iloilo; western seaboard of Guimaras – waves up to 2 meters high

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In addition, PAGASA is still monitoring a low pressure area (LPA) outside PAR, located 2,230 kilometers east of Bicol at 3 pm on Wednesday.

The LPA still has a high chance of becoming a tropical depression within 24 hours. But the weather bureau said it appears unlikely to enter PAR. – Rappler.com