More rains expected in Luzon areas as Fabian continues to enhance Habagat

Some parts of Luzon will experience scattered to widespread rains in the next 24 hours due to the Habagat or southwest monsoon enhanced by Typhoon Fabian, state weather bureau PAGASA said Friday.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Batanes and Babuyan Islands are still under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1, which means strong winds are prevailing or expected in the two areas within 36 hours.

According to PAGASA, Fabian is unlikely to directly bring heavy rainfall to the country but the southwest monsoon that it is enhancing will cause monsoon rains in the following areas:

• Ilocos Region
• Cordillera Administrative Region
• Metro Manila
• most of CALABARZON
• Central Luzon
• MIMAROPA

At 10 a.m., Fabian was located at 530 kilometers Northeast of Itbayat, Batanes with maximum sustained winds of 150 km per hour, gustiness of up to 185 km/h, and central pressure of 955 hPa .

PAGASA said Fabian was moving northward at 10 km/h.

PAGASA said strong winds of up to near gale conditions are expected over Batanes and Babuyan Islands throughout the passage of the typhoon.

Occasionally, gusty conditions due to Habagat will be experienced over Visayas and the rest of Luzon, especially in the coastal and upland localities of these areas, according to PAGASA.

Rough to very rough seas are expected over the seaboards of Luzon including the areas under Signal No. 1 and Western Visayas.

“Sea travel is risky for small seacrafts over these waters. Mariners without the proper experience should immediately seek safe harbor,” PAGASA warned.

Moderate to rough seas are expected over the remaining seaboards of the country.

“Mariners of small seacrafts are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions,” PAGASA said.

According to PAGASA, Fabian will move generally north northwestward over the next 48 hours towards the eastern portion of mainland China.

The typhoon is expected to pass close or make landfall in the vicinity of Miyako and Yaeyama Islands within the day.

According to PAGASA, Fabian is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility between Friday afternoon and evening.  —KBK, GMA News