Tropical Depression “Gener” is crossing the Cordillera Region and is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) within 24 hours, the weather bureau said yesterday.
“After 24 hours, nakikita natin na nasa labas na ng PAR o posibleng nasa labas na ng PAR itong si Bagyong ‘Gener,’ 500 kilometers kanluran ng Dagupan City, Pangasinan, and after 48 hours, 925 kilometers, kanluran ng Northern Luzon, so papalayo na ito sa land mass ng ating bansa,” weather specialist Veronica Torres of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in a press briefing.
She said as of 10 a.m., the center of “Gener” was in the vicinity of Kibungan, Benguet.
It is packed with maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and wind gusts of up to 55 kph.
Gener is moving westward at 15 kph.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 has been raised over Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, and Pampanga.
Storm signals in Metro Manila have been lifted.
Minimal to minor impacts from strong winds are possible within any of the areas under Signal No. 1.
“Gener” and the enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat) will bring heavy to intense rains (100 to 200 millimeters) over the provinces of Cagayan, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Abra, Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Aklan, Antique, and Negros Occidental.
Moderate to heavy rains (50 to 100 mm) are expected over the rest of Cordillera, the rest of Cagayan Valley and Ilocos region, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Quezon, Rizal, Aurora, Bicol Region, Zamboanga del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, the rest of Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and Negros Island Region.
Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon enhanced by “Gener” and Tropical Storm “Pulasan,” which remained outside PAR, will also bring strong to gale-force gusts over Batanes province, Mimaropa and Bicol Regions, Visayas, and Mindanao, including the coastal and upland areas exposed to winds. (PNA)