‘Mangkhut’ enhancing monsoon rains over Luzon

New low-pressure area spotted

DESPITE its exit from Philippine territory, Typhoon “Ompong” will continue to enhance monsoon rains over most parts of Luzon while another low pressure area (LPA) approaches the country.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its 5:00 p.m. update that Ompong was seen 935 kilometers (km) westnorthwest of extreme northern Luzon, further away from the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

It packed winds of 130 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of 180 kph as it continued to move northwest at 30 kph.

The Mangkhut-enhanced southwest monsoon will bring cloudy skies with scattered to widespread rains and thunderstorms over Zambales and Pangasinan.

Heavy rains with lightning and strong winds due to thunderstorms could be experienced over portions of Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur, Davao, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental and may affect nearby areas.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers, caused by localized thunderstorms.

An LPA was forecast to enter PAR anytime weather specialist Ariel Rojas said.

“The LPA has low chances of turning into a tropical storm. It is expected to enter PAR but will likely dissipate in the eastern portion of Mindanao,” he said.

3 Luzon dams opened

Three dams in Luzon had their gates open on Sunday afternoon to continue to release water after the heavy rains brought by the typhoon.

The dam release serves as a precautionary measure to prevent the accumulation of heavy amount of water, Pagasa said.

The Ambuklao Dam located in Benguet had eight gates open at 5 meters (m) with current water elevation at 745 m to avoid reaching its 752-m critical water level.

Binga Dam, also in Benguet, had six gates open at 5.50 m. Its water elevation was at 565 m, a few meters away from its 575-m normal water level.

Magat Dam in Isabela had two gates open at 4 m. Its water elevation was at 184.37 m, still lower than its 190-m normal water level.

The release of dam water affected the villages of Dalupirip and Tinongdan in Itogon, Benguet; and the villages of San Manuel, San Nicolas, Tayug, Sta. Maria, Asingan, Villasis, Alcala, Bautista, Rosales, and Bayambang in Pangasinan as of Sunday afternoon.