TD Falcon to intensify southwest monsoon

TROPICAL Depression (TD) Falcon will intensify the southwest monsoon experienced in the whole of Mindanao, an official of Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

“This causes the cloudy skies we are experiencing now with light to moderate rainfall and at times, heavy rains,” Jaymar Artigas, hydrologist from PAGASA XI, told reporters in the sidelines of the Resilience Media Forum Monday.

According to Artigas, the rainfall in the city right

now is generally brought by the monsoon, not the tropical depression. However, the TD is intensifying the monsoon.

“The TD Falcon will not extend to Davao City. Its track only covers Eastern Visayas and Western Visayas,” Artigas said. “The southwest monsoon is however absorbed by the TD, which uses warm moisture as a fuel.”

The southwest monsoon or hanging habagat is characterized by hot and humid weather, frequent heavy rainfall, and a prevailing wind from the west.

At 11 a.m. Monday, press time, TD Falcon has slightly accelerated while maintaining its strength based on the Severe Weather Bulletin of PAGASA.

Falcon was estimated at 940 km East Northeast of Virac, Catanduanes or 1,150 kilometer east of Casiguran, Aurora (15.1, 132.8), with maximum winds of 45 kilometer per hour (KPH) near the center and gustiness of up to 60 kph. Its direction is to move north-northwest at 25 kph.

“It may intensify as a tropical storm while traversing the Babuyan Channel on Wednesday, July 17. It is also expected to have a landfall in Calayan, Cagayan on the same day,” Artigas said.

In the said day, the combined rains of TD Falcon and Southwest Monsoon is expected to be concentrated at the Western part of Luzon, Northern Part of Visayas, and MIMAROPA and CALABARZON.

Artigas added that the rainy season brought by different weather conditions will be expected until November.

“We may expect that there will be a successive rain until November. But there will be breaks for a couple of weeks called the monsoon breaks,” Artigas said.