'Labuyo' now a storm, threatens south Luzon, Visayas

Tropical cyclone "Labuyo" intensified into a storm Thursday morning, and may enhance the southwest monsoon that will bring rains to southern Luzon and Visayas, weather forecasters said. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Labuyo was located 710 km east of Tuguegarao City in Cagayan province as of 10 a.m. "This disturbance is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring occasional to frequent rains over southern Luzon, Visayas particularly the western sections," Pagasa said in its 11 a.m. advisory.

It added the surge of the southwest monsoon is expected to affect the seaboards of Central and southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. However, it said that no area has been placed under any storm signal as of Thursday morning. Pagasa said Labuyo packed maximum winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. Labuyo was moving west northwest at 7 kph and is expected to be 590 km east northeast of Tuguegarao City or 570 km east southeast of Basco, Batanes. By Saturday morning it is expected to be 400 km eastsoutheast of Basco town in Batanes province in the northernmost tip of Luzon. By Sunday morning, it is expected to be 240 km east of Basco, Batanes -GMANews.TV