Jenny develops into severe tropical storm, will enhance Habagat

Jenny (international name: Koinu) intensified into a severe tropical storm late Sunday morning, according to state weather bureau PAGASA.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the center of Jenny was estimated to be located at 790 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. It was moving west northwestward at 15 km/h.

Jenny has maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h near the center, and gustiness of up to 115 km/h.

With this, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals may be raised over extreme northern Luzon this Sunday afternoon or evening in anticipation of the onset of tropical cyclone severe winds.

Jenny will also continue to enhance the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) and will bring occasional to monsoon rains over the western portions of Central and Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in the next three days.

This enhancement of Habagat will bring gusty conditions over the following areas not under any wind signal, especially in coastal and upland or mountainous areas exposed to winds:

• Sunday until Monday: Mimaropa and Western Visayas; and
• Tuesday: Western Visayas, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, and most of Calabarzon.

Jenny is also expected to result in moderate to rough seas (2.0 to 4.0 meters) over the coastal waters of extreme northern Luzon and the northern portion of mainland Cagayan.

Due to this, mariners of motor bancas and similarly-sized vessels were advised to take precautionary measures while venturing out to sea and, if possible, avoid navigating in these conditions, especially if inexperienced or operating ill-equipped vessels.

A gale warning for these coastal waters may also be raised in the coming days.

Track, intensity

PAGASA said Jenny is forecast to move generally northwestward until Monday before turning west northwestward on Tuesday towards the Luzon Strait and generally westward on Thursday.

It will then pass over the Bashi Channel between Batanes and the southern portion of Taiwan between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.

However, a landfall or close approach scenario over extreme northern Luzon is still not ruled out since these scenarios are within the forecast confidence cone.

Jenny is forecast to steadily intensify throughout the forecast period and may reach typhoon category on Monday.

This tropical cyclone could attain its peak intensity of 150 km/h by Tuesday, PAGASA said. —KG, GMA Integrated News