Storm ‘Isang’ to enhance habagat, bring heavy rains

Tropical Storm “Isang” continues to move west northwest while maintaining its strength Monday afternoon, the state weather bureau said.

In its 5 p.m. advisory yesterday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the center of Isang was spotted at 195 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes, with maximum sustained winds of 800 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 97 kph.

Moderate to occasionally heavy rains with thunderstorms are expected within the 400-kilometer diameter of the storm.

The storm will be closest to Batanes group of islands on Monday night or early morning of Tuesday, said Pagasa.

The weather bureau added that Isang will enhance the southwest monsoon (habagat) in the Visayas and thus, may bring light to moderate with possible occasionally heavy rains.

The forecast until 6 p.m. Tuesday is that Metro Cebu will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and possible occasionally heavy rains, gusty winds and lightning due to thunderstorm.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail and the coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

Other areas affected by the enhanced southwest monsoon are Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Bicol.

A thunderstorm warning was also issued in Leyte and some parts of Mindanao, namely, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Davao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Zamboanga del Sur, and Maguindanao.

Tropical cyclone warning signal (TCWS) no. 2 was raised over Batanes, while TCWS no. 1 was raised over Babuyan Group of Islands.

Stormy weather and gusty winds will be experienced over these areas, Pagasa said.

The Manila-Basco-Manila flights of Skyjet (M8) and PAL Express (2P) were cancelled Monday morning due to bad weather, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said.

These flights were M8 816/817 and 2P 2084/2085.

The weather bureau also said the country’s coastal waters will be moderate to rough.