Habagat dumps rains as Crising moves away from PAR

Severe Tropical Storm Crising (international name: Wipha) is now moving away from the Philippine landmass, but the southwest monsoon or habagat will continue to affect a wide swath of the country from northern Luzon to Metro Manila down to Visayas and Mindanao.

Based on the cyclone bulletin released 5 p.m. Saturday by weather service PAGASA, tropical cyclone wind signal warnings were lowered across all areas of the country.

Crising was last seen at 345 kilometers west of Itbayat, Batanes with maximum sustained winds of 100 kph and gustiness of up to 125 kph.

A gale warning is still in effect over the seaboard of Northern Luzon following Crising's exit from the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Saturday morning.

Crising will continue to move generally west northwestward over the next 24 hours towards southern China, and will continue to intensify into a typhoon as it moves closer to Hong Kong.

Habagat effects

PAGASA's daily weather forecast at 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon said the southwest monsoon continues to affect the entire country.

It is expected to cause monsoon rains over Zambales, Bataan, and Occidental Mindoro, and occasional rains over Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, the rest of Central Luzon, CALABARZON, the rest of MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, and Negros Occidental.

Cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms are forecast over the rest of Luzon, the rest of Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and Lanao del Sur. The rest of Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms.

Flash floods or landslides may occur in some parts of the country as a result of these weather conditions.

Strong to gale-force winds with rough to very rough waters may be expected in the northern and western sections of Northern Luzon.

The rest of country will expect moderate to strong winds with moderate to rough waters.

Sunrise in Metro Manila will be at 5:36 a.m. on Sunday. — VDV, GMA Integrated News