Falcon continues to enhance Habagat; Gusty conditions to persist in parts of Luzon, Visayas

Parts of Luzon and the Visayas will continue to experience gusty conditions due to the enhanced Southwest Monsoon or Habagat, as Typhoon Falcon maintained its strength while moving towards the sea southeast of Okinawa Islands, PAGASA said Tuesday.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the following areas will have gusty conditions, especially in coastal and upland/mountainous areas exposed to winds:

Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, the central and southern portions of Aurora, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, and most of Ilocos Region, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, and Western Visayas

The hoisting of Wind Signal due to Falcon over Batanes is no longer ruled out due to the very expansive wind field of the typhoon. In such a case, the highest level that may be hoisted is Wind Signal No. 1.

PAGASA said the Southwest Monsoon enhanced by Typhoon Falcon will bring occasional to monsoon rains over the western portion of Luzon in the next three days.

Hazards on coastal waters

Further, the Southwest Monsoon enhanced by Falcon will bring moderate to rough seas over the coastal waters along the northern (1.25 to 2.5 m), western (1.5 to 3.0 m) and southern (1.5 to 2.5 m) seaboards of Luzon in the next 24 hours. Mariners of small seacrafts are thus advised to take precautionary measures when venturing over the waters.

The state weather bureau said Falcon is forecast track west northwestward and will begin decelerating as it approaches the waters southeast of Okinawa Islands. Based on the track forecast, Falcon may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility this Tuesday afternoon or evening.

The center of the eye of Typhoon Falcon was estimated based on all available data 875 km East Northeast of Extreme Northern Luzon (24.8 °N, 129.2 °E )

Moving West Northwestward at 20 km/h, it has maximum sustained winds of 175 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 215 km/h.

Flooding

Some areas in Bulacan remained flooded on Tuesday after days of rain.

The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said 39 barangays in Malolos were flooded. Meanwhile, in Balagtas, a portion of MacArthur Highway was still flooded on Tuesday.

In Calumpit, Bulacan, residents of Barangay Sapang Bayan used boats to move around as the flood reached chest-deep. There are also still flooded areas in Malolos. 

Several areas are also still reeling from the effects of Typhoon Egay.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), a total of 108 areas in six regions in Luzon have been placed under a state of calamity due to the combined effects of Typhoon Egay and the Southwest Monsoon.

Based on its latest situational report, the NDRRMC said that these cities and municipalities were situated in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

Despite Egay being able to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Thursday, the NDRRMC said that it, along with the Habagat, affected 2,452,738 people or 668,974 families in 4,164 barangays across the country. —Jamil Santos/ VAL, GMA Integrated News