'Carina' to bring heavy rains

MANILA, Philippines - The weather bureau urged yesterday residents in the western section of Luzon and the Visayas to brace for heavy rains in the next three days due to tropical storm “Carina,” which is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility this afternoon or early Thursday.

Nikos Peñaranda, weather forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said the storm is not likely to directly hit any part of the country but will graze extreme Northern Luzon (Batanes area).

The weather disturbance would enhance the southwest monsoon that will bring rains over the western section of Luzon and the Visayas, specifically the Ilocos region, Zambales and Bataan, Peñaranda said.

As of 2 p.m. yesterday, the storm was spotted at 570 kilometers west of extreme Northern Luzon with maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness up to 190 kph. It was moving east-northeast at 22 kph.

“The western section of Central Luzon and Northern Luzon will experience occasional to frequent rains until Thursday. It is likely to remain inside the country for less than eight hours,” Peñaranda said.

“The southwest monsoon will be strong until today, sea travel is risky for small sea vessels,” he said. Peñaranda said the storm might dissipate over the sea as it moves to southern Japan tomorrow.

The rest of the country, including Metro Manila, will experience improved weather beginning tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Peñaranda said a low-pressure area spotted off Caroline Islands is expected to dump rains over the Visayas and Mindanao this weekend.

The low-pressure area, however, is not likely to develop into a tropical cyclone.

Rainfall warning launched

PAGASA also launched yesterday the new site-specific rainfall warning system that could alert the public to prepare for heavy rains.

The project, dubbed “Rainfall Warning Decision Support System for Metro Manila,” aims to provide easy-to-interpret information that “allows individuals and communities to protect their lives and properties,” said project leader Ma. Cecilia Monteverde during a press conference.

The project has three components – the monitoring and warning development, dissemination/communication of warnings, and warning verification/validation. Office of Civil Defense director Edgardo Ollet said the new rainfall warning system would help the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) in their decision-making during severe weather occurrence.

Ollet also said local executives will use PAGASA’s new rainfall warning system as basis for suspension of classes and work in government offices.

Monteverde said the weather bureau would regularly provide thunderstorm and heavy rainfall warning through its website, SMS (short messaging system) and Twitter.

“Thunderstorm warning will be issued when there is an indication that a thunderstorm is threatening a specific area(s) within the next two hours,” Monteverde said.

Monteverde said the project is being piloted in Metro Manila to address the perennial flood problems besetting the metropolis.

The following is an example of a thunderstorm warning: “Thunderstorms are expected to affect Quezon City, Marikina and Pasig within the next 2 hours. All are advised to take precautionary measures against heavy rains, lightning, strong winds and possible flashfloods.”

PAGASA, meanwhile, categorizes heavy rainfall warning into three – yellow (advisory), green (alert), and red (emergency).

The following is an example of a red warning signal: “34 mm rainfall was observed at Port Area, Manila for the past hour and most likely to continue for the next hour. Flooding over low-lying areas and those located near the river channels. Residents in high risk areas are advised to evacuate to higher grounds and monitor the weather condition and watch out for the next warning.”

“This is different from the tropical cyclone warning we issue during tropical cyclone occurrence,” Monteverde said, adding that the severe weather bulletin provides warning about the cyclone’s wind intensity and direction.