TYPHOON TO SKIRT PH BUT WILL BRING RAINS

Typhoon “Soulik” is unlikely to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), but the weather bureau warned on Sunday that it could still enhance the “habagat” (southwest monsoon) and bring moderate to heavy rains to extreme Northern Luzon on Tuesday.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) forecasters said that Soulik would skirt the PAR, moving west and upward, but might slightly induce the habagat on Tuesday when it was nearest the country’s northernmost tip.

As of 3p.m. on Sunday, Ty- phoon Soulik, with maximum winds of 160 kilometers per hour and gusts of 195 kph, was sighted at 1,780 km east-northeast of extreme Northern Luzon outside the PAR and slowly moving west.

Moderate to heavy rains

Pagasa forecasters said that Soulik was forecast to be 1,585 km east-northeast of extreme Northern Luzon by Monday morning, but “the typhoon may slightly enhance the southwest monsoon,” as it was expected to be at 1,305 km northeast of extreme Northern Luzon by Tuesday morning.

The weather bureau said the typhoon’s enhancement of the habagat could bring occasional moderate to heavy rains across extreme Northern Luzon, particularly over the Babuyan Group of Islands, Batanes and the northern parts of Ilocos Norte.

Meanwhile, with the habagat still affecting the western section of Luzon, Pagasa said that cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms were to be expected on Monday over Ilocos region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Batanes, the Babuyan Group of Islands, Zambales and Bataan.

Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers caused by localized thunderstorms, on the other hand, should be anticipated in Metro Manila and the rest of the country.