PAGASA: Rain from 'Helen' may enhance habagat anew

Rain from tropical storm "Helen" may be felt as early as Monday night in Metro Manila, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

 

PAGASA forecaster Elvie Enriquez said "Helen," which entered Philippine territory and became a cyclone over the weekend, continues to move northward.

 

"Maaaring mamayang gabi maumpisahan nating maramdaman ang pag-ulan, pero ang kasagsagan ay bukas. Sa ngayon wala pa itong epekto," Enriquez said in an interview on dzBB radio early Monday.

 

She said "Helen" is likely to enhance the southwest monsoon anew.

 

Metro Manila is still reeling from the effects of the southwest monsoon enhanced by tropical cyclone "Haikui," which made landfall over China last week.

 

"Ang magpapaulan sa atin ang southwest monsoon na patuloy na namang paiigtingin ni 'Helen.' Asahan nating bukas mas kasagsagan ang ulan. Panibago na naman ang paghanda," she said.

 

Enriquez said Sunday night's thunderstorms over Metro Manila were not related to "Helen."

 

As of 4 a.m. Monday, "Helen" was estimated at 630 km east-northeast of Casiguran in Aurora, with maximum winds of 55 kph near the center.

 

Enriquez said "Helen" was moving west-northwest at 9 kph and may be 590 km east-northeast of Tuguegarao by Tuesday morning.

 

No storm signals?

 

She said it is possible "Helen" will not generate any storm signal, but will instead cause rainfall signals.

 

"Si 'Helen' pataas siya at hindi magla-landfall, tulad ng nangyari kay 'Gener' na pataas. ‘Yan paghahandaan natin, ang pag-igting ng habagat," she said.

 

Enriquez also said "Helen" may be one of at least three cyclones due this month. She added August and September are peak months for the southwest monsoon in the country.

 

Flash floods, landslides over eastern Luzon

 

PAGASA's 5 a.m. bulletin said Luzon and Visayas will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms, becoming cloudy with widespread rain over the eastern section of Luzon. This may trigger flash floods and landslides.

 

The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

 

Moderate to strong winds from the southwest to west will prevail over Luzon, making its coastal waters moderate to rough.

 

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the southwest to west, with slight to moderate seas.

 

Meanwhile, strong to gale force winds associated with "Helen" may affect the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Visayas.

 

"Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves," PAGASA said. –KG/HS/YA, GMA News