'Gardo' exits PAR but habagat persists
MANILA, Philippines — Severe Tropical Storm Gardo (international name: Higos) exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) Friday morning, but the southwest monsoon or habagat will continue to bring strong winds and heavy rains over parts of the country.
In its 11 a.m. bulletin on Friday, June 26, state weather bureau PAGASA said Gardo left PAR at 9:30 a.m.
As of 10 a.m., the center of the severe tropical storm was estimated at 1,310 kilometers east northeast of Extreme Northern Luzon.
Gardo maintained its maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph, with a central pressure of 990 hPa.
It was moving northward at 50 kph.
Strong winds, rains. Despite Gardo's exit from PAR, the southwest monsoon will continue to bring strong to gale-force gusts over most of Luzon on Friday.
On Saturday, these strong winds are expected to affect Batanes, the Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.
PAGASA also warned of heavy rainfall due to the southwest monsoon. From Friday until noon on Saturday, 50 to 100 millimeters of rain are forecast over Zambales, Bataan and Occidental Mindoro.
The weather bureau said rainfall may be higher in mountainous and elevated areas, while the impacts of flooding and rain-induced hazards may be worsened by significant antecedent rainfall.
Sea conditions. Rough seas with waves reaching up to 3 meters are expected over the northern seaboard of Batanes.
PAGASA advised mariners of small seacraft, including all types of motorbancas, not to venture out to sea, especially if they are inexperienced or operating ill-equipped vessels.
Moderate seas with waves of up to 2.5 meters are forecast over the northern and western seaboards of the Babuyan Islands, the northern seaboard of Ilocos Norte and the remaining seaboard of Batanes.
Meanwhile, waves of up to 2 meters are expected over the remaining seaboards of the Babuyan Islands and Ilocos Norte, as well as the seaboards of Ilocos Sur, La Union, Zambales, Lubang Island, Kalayaan Islands, and the western seaboards of Pangasinan, Bataan and Batangas.
Track. PAGASA said Gardo is forecast to move north-northeastward toward southern Japan while maintaining its strength over the next 12 hours.
The weather bureau said that while the cyclone has already exited PAR, the southwest monsoon will remain the primary weather system affecting the country.
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