Tonyo exits PAR but with Ulysses will enhance easterlies, bringing rains

Tonyo has exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Monday but will enhance the easterlies together with Tropical Depression Ulysses, bringing rains over several areas in Luzon, PAGASA said in its 5 a.m. severe weather bulletin.

At 2 a.m., Tropical Depression Tonyo has become stronger and developed into a tropical storm (with international name: Etau). It then exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 4 a.m.

Tonyo will bring moderate to heavy rains over Kalayaan Islands even as it moves westward over the West Philippine Sea toward the southern portion of Vietnam. It is likely to make landfall over the southern part of Vietnam on Tuesday morning or afternoon.

Tonyo and Tropical Depression Ulysses will enhance the prevailing easterlies, which will bring moderate to heavy rains over Babuyan Islands, mainland Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Norte, Aurora, and the northern portion of Quezon including Polillo Islands.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila, Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, and the rest of Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon will have light to moderate with at times heavy rains.

PAGASA warned of flooding, including flash floods, and rain-induced landslides which may occur during times of heavy or prolonged rainfall in areas susceptible to these hazards.

Strong to gale-force winds will be felt over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, and the northern portion of mainland Cagayan due to the Northeast Monsoon (Amihan) enhanced by Tonyo.

Eastern Visayas and Caraga will be cloudy with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms, according to DOST-PAGASA weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio in a press briefing.

The rest of Visayas and Mindanao meanwhile will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to thunderstorms.

Coastal waters

The seaboards of Kalayaan Islands will be rough to very rough in the next 24 hours, with waves reaching as high as 4.5 meters. This is due to Tonyo.

Coastal waters will also be rough to very rough (waves up to 5 meters) over the seaboards of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, and Zambales and the northern seaboards of mainland Cagayan due to the monsoon.

PAGASA said sea travel over the above-mentioned areas will be risky, especially those with small seacraft.

The western seaboards of Bataan, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island, and Palawan including Calamian Islands will also have moderate to rough seas (up to 2.5 meters) due to Tonyo. Those with small seacraft are advised to take the necessary precautions, while inexperienced mariners are told to avoid navigating in these conditions.

Location

At 4 a.m., the center of Tonyo was located at 710 km west of Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, which is outside PAR.

Tonyo has maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 80 km/h.

It is moving westward at 30 km/h.

Meanwhile, the center of Ulysses was located at 800 km east of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte at 4 a.m., Aurelio said in the press briefing.

Ulysses has maximum winds of 45 kph near the center and gustiness of 55 kph.

It is moving northwest at 15 kph.

GMA resident meteorologist Nathaniel "Mang Tani" Cruz said on Unang Balita Ulysses may become a typhoon before it makes landfall in the Bicol Region.

The current track of Ulysses showed it will make landfall over Camarines Norte then traverse Quezon, southern Luzon, Metro Manila and Bataan before emerging over the West Philippine Sea.

Cruz however emphasized that the track may still change. —KG, GMA News