Hanna enters PAR a severe tropical storm; Goring leaves

Tropical cyclone Haikui has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility as a severe tropical storm and would be called locally as Hanna.

According to the weather bureau PAGASA, Hanna entered the PAR at 9 p.m. on Wednesday.

In its 11 p.m. bulletin on Hanna, the severe tropical storm was spotted moving northwestward at 15 kph with maximum sustained winds of 95 kph, gustiness of up to 115 kph and pressure of 990 hPa.

Strong to storm-force winds extend outwards to 300 kilometers from Hanna’s center.

Hanna is forecast to move generally west northwestward away from any Philippine landmass and is predicted to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Friday afternoon. 

The severe tropical storm entered the PAR just as Super Typhoon Goring was leaving the country after causing violent and life-threatening conditions in Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and nearby areas.

According to PAGASA’s 11 p.m. tropical cyclone bulletin on Goring, the cyclone was last observed moving west northwestward at 10 kph with maximum sustained winds of 195 kph and gustiness of up to 240 kph.

Another tropical storm Kirogi is being observed outside the PAR.

Kirogi, Hanna and Goring have been forecast to slightly enhance the Southwest Monsoon and cause occasional monsoon rains over the western portion of Luzon for the next three days.

While no areas have been put under a tropical cyclone wind signal due to Hana, Goring or Kirogi, the enhanced Southwest Monsoon will bring gusty conditions over the following areas:

• Wednesday until Friday: Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Zambales, Bataan, Aurora, Bulacan, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, and the northern portion of Eastern Visayas.
• Saturday: Zambales, Bataan, Bulacan, Aurora, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, and the northern portion of Eastern Visayas.

While Hanna is less likely to bring rough sea conditions over the forecast period, a gale warning is still in effect for most seaboards of Luzon and Visayas, and the eastern seaboard of Mindanao due to the enhanced Southwest Monsoon.

Rainfall of 50 mm to 100 mm is forecast in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, the western portions of Pangasinan and Apayao, while occasional or monsoon rains will be experienced over the western portions of Luzon and Visayas over the next three days.

Storm signals due to Goring have been lifted.

Outside the PAR, Goring is forecast to follow a mainly west northwestward path across the waters off Guangdong in China. 

It is expected to turn generally west southwestward or southwestward for the remainder of the forecast period.

Goring will be closest to land near Hong Kong or Pearl River Delta by Saturday.

A landfall scenario has not been ruled out due to the proximity of the track forecast to land and the associated uncertainty at this period of the forecast.

Goring is expected gradually weaken on Thursday night as it moves over the waters off Guangdong.

Cooler waters, the entrainment of dry air from mainland China, and interaction with land due to its proximity are forecast to sustain the weakening trend.

Goring is forecast to be downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Saturday and into a tropical storm —NB, GMA Integrated News