Tropical Storm Khanun to enter PAR in next few hours

Tropical storm Khanun maintains its strength and is approaching the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), PAGASA reported.

In the Tropical Cyclone Advisory posted at 11 p.m. Friday, the bureau  said Khanun was estimated at 1,245 kilometers east northeast of Southeastern Luzon or 1,445 km east of Central Luzon outside PAR.

As of 10 p.m., Khanun is packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 80 km/h, and central pressure of 998 hPa.

The storm is moving north northwestward at the speed of 20 km/h with strong to gale-force winds extend outwards up to 650 km from the center.

General Outlook for the Forecast period

Tropical Storm Khanun is forecast to enter the PAR in the next 12 hours. Once inside the PAR, the domestic name Falcon will be assigned to this tropical cyclone.

"The tropical storm is forecast to move generally north northwestward or northwestward during its passage within the PAR region. On the forecast track, the storm is forecast to remain far from the Philippine landmass and may exit the PAR on Monday while approaching the Ryukyu Islands," PAGASA said.

Khanun is forecast to turn west northwestward, pass close to the Okinawa Islands of the Ryukyu archipelago and move over the East China Sea before making a landfall over the east coast of China on Wednesday.

The tropical storm is forecast to continuously intensify within the next 5 days and become a typhoon on Sunday within the PAR and reach its peak intensity by Tuesday while over the East China Sea or outside the PAR.

Severe Tropical Storm Egay (International name: Doksuri) weakens over mainland China and its influence on the Southwest Monsoon or habagat is expected to further decrease.

However, Khanun is forecast to enhance the Southwest Monsoon as it moves over the Philippine Sea, which will trigger occasional or monsoon rains over the western portions of Luzon and Visayas beginning tomorrow or Sunday and may last to mid or late next week.

But the magnitude, extent, and timing of monsoon enhancement and resulting rainfall may still change is it is dependent on the Southwest Monsoon and movement. — BAP, GMA Integrated News