Khanun seen to be a typhoon, to enter PAR over weekend

The Southwest Monsoon and the trough of a tropical storm outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility are expected to bring rains over parts of the country in the next 24 hours.

This developed as Tropical Storm Khanun is expected to enter the PAR as a typhoon over the weekend, just days after tropical cyclone Egay left.

According to PAGASA's 24-hour public weather forecast issued at 4 p.m. on Friday, monsoon rains are expected over Zambales and Bataan.

Flooding or landslides due to scattered to widespread rains are possible in the said areas.

The Habagat is also expected to bring occasional rains over Metro Manila, Pangasinan, Occidental Mindoro, Cavite, Batangas, Rizal, Northern Palawan including Calamian, and Cuyo Islands, and the rest of Central Luzon.

Flooding or landslides due to moderate to heavy rains are seen in these areas.

The Southwest Monsoon will likewise bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in the Visayas, Cordillera Administrative Region, the rest of CALABARZON, the rest of Ilocos Region, the rest of Central Luzon, and the rest of MIMAROPA, Batanes, and Babuyan Islands.

The trough of Tropical Storm Khanun will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in Mindanao.

Strong winds will blow southwest to south in the northern and western section of Luzon. Its coastal waters will be rough.

In the Visayas and the rest of Luzon, strong winds will blow southwest while its coastal waters will be rough.

Moderate to strong winds will blow south to southwest in Mindanano. Its coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

Stronger in coming days

Still outside the PAR, Khanun was spotted 1,365 kilometers east of Southern Luzon. It has maximum sustained winds of 65 kph and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

PAGASA said Khanun is forecast to move generally north-northwestward until Sunday afternoon over the Philippine Sea.

It may enter the PAR between Saturday late evening and Sunday morning and then will be named Falcon.

PAGASA said Khanun is expected to become a typhoon on Saturday late night or on Sunday early morning and to continue becoming stronger in the next five days.

The weather bureau said the hoisting of storm signals over any part of the country was unlikely but added that it might enhance the Southwest Monsoon and bring occasional or monsoon rains over western portions of Luzon and the Visayas starting on Saturday or Sunday. 

13 deaths, 500K affected

The death toll due to Typhoon Egay has climbed to 13, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Friday.

In a situation report, the NDRRMC said six deaths had been confirmed, while seven were up for validation.

Of the confirmed deaths, five were from the Cordillera Administrative Region while the other was from Western Visayas.

Meanwhile, authorities are also validating reports that 12 individuals have been injured while 20 have gone missing.

The report also showed that a total of 140,923 families or 502,782 persons had been affected by the typhoon. —NB, GMA Integrated News