'Falcon,' habagat to dump rains in large parts of PH: PAGASA

MANILA (UPDATE) — Tropical storm Falcon and the southwest monsoon will dump rains in the western part of Luzon and Visayas in the next 3 days, state weather bureau PAGASA said on Saturday.

Based on the weather agency's 11 a.m. bulletin, the southwest monsoon or habagat is being enhanced by "Falcon" and tropical storm Egay, which is already outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).

The country's sixth storm this year was last located 1,315 kilometer east of Central Luzon and moving westward at 10 kilometer per hour (kph).

It is packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

PAGASA said Falcon has "decelerated." It was also forecast to remain over the Philippine Sea and far from the country's landmass during the forecast period.

The storm, however, may intensify within the next 3 days and become a typhoon on Sunday afternoon or evening, and reach its peak on either late Monday or early Tuesday, said the weather agency.

"Forecast rainfall are generally higher in elevated or mountainous areas. Under these conditions, flooding and rain-induced landslides are highly likely especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazard as identified in hazard maps and in localities that experienced considerable amounts of rainfall for the past several days," PAGASA said.

It was also unlikely that it will raise any wind signal due to Falcon but gusty conditions will prevail for the rest of the day over the following areas due to the habagat.

• Zambales
• Bataan
• Palawan
• Occidental Mindoro
• Romblon
• most of Calabarzon
• Bicol Region
• Western Visayas

On Sunday, PAGASA said the same condition may persist over the following:

• Zambales
• Bataan
• Palawan
• Metro Manila
• Occidental Mindoro
• Romblon
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Northern Samar
• most of Calabarzon
• Bicol Region
• Western Visayas

Office of Civil Defense spokesperson Edgar Posadas said rains and floods were mostly in the western part of the country due to the habagat.

"Dapat hindi pa tayo, we should not let our guards down dahil mayroon pa tayo. Mae-enhance niya (Falcon) 'yung habagat. Therefore the rains in the western part of the country, Southern Luzon, at saka sa Western Visayas ay magpapatuloy hangga't nandito si Falcon," Posadas told Radyo 630.

Falcon may exit the Philippine area of responsibility on late Monday or early Tuesday, said PAGASA.

"As FALCON continues to further consolidate its circulation, shifts in the track forecast remain possible in the succeeding advisories or bulletins," the advisory read.

Check the ABS-CBN Weather Center for more updates.

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