Rains expected as ‘Gardo’ enters PAR

yphoon “Gardo” (international name: Maria) has entered the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) early Monday morning and will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon or “habagat” that is currently affecting the Mimaropa region and Western Visayas.

Before Monday noon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration estimated the location of “Gardo” at 1,165 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes with maximum sustained winds of 200 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 245 kph.

It is moving west-northwest at 30 kph and is still less likely to make landfall.

PAGASA Weather Division chief Esperanza Cayanan said monsoon rains will prevail over Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Aklan, Antique, Negros Occidental, Capiz, Guimaras and Iloilo, while occasional rains will affect Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Zambales, Bataan, Aurora, Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, and Masbate until today.

She explained that a new low pressure area (LPA) over the West Philippine Sea near Vietnam is pulling most of the southwesterly winds, preventing rains from reaching western Luzon.

In earlier forecasts, the southwest monsoon enhanced by “Gardo” was supposed to dump rains over most of Luzon.

As “Gardo” moves north of Taiwan en route to China, Cayanan said monsoon rains may affect most of Luzon, especially over the western section, beginning Wednesday.

This is because both Gardo and LPA will enhance the southwest monsoon that will pull the moisture inland.

Residents of these areas, especially those living in low-lying and mountainous areas, should take appropriate actions against possible flooding and landslides resulting from heavy rains.

Likewise, sea travel is risky over the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon.

PAGASA appealed to the public to monitor official weather updates issued by the weather bureau to prevent the spread of fake news in social media sites.

As early as Sunday, the weather has forced the cancellation of classes in several areas in Luzon, including Metro Manila.

Cayanan pointed out that Gardo is still not a super typhoon.

PAGASA categorizes a cyclone with more than 220 kph maximum winds as a super typhoon.

She explained that the United Statesbased Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTNC), which already categorized Gardo as a super typhoon, has a different basis in measuring the cyclone’s winds.

JTWC uses a one-minute average in wind, while PAGASA uses a 10-minute average, “causing the discrepancy,” Cayanan said.

Likewise, JTWC caters to the military, she said.