MANILA, Philippines - Tropical Storm Emong is expected to exit the country today but will continue to trigger the southwest monsoon and bring heavy rain over some areas including Metro Manila, the state weather bureau said.
A new low-pressure area, however, was spotted some 550 kilometers west of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro yesterday and is also predicted to enhance the southwest monsoon.
Jori Loiz, weather forecaster at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), warned residents in Metro Manila against possible flooding as heavy rains could affect the metropolis between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. today.
“We expect rains to weaken in the evening,†Loiz said.
Evening classes were suspended yesterday in Far Eastern University and San Sebastian College, except for the College of Law, in Manila due to expected heavy rains.
Loiz, meanwhile, reiterated his advice to the public against venturing into the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon and western seaboard of Southern Luzon due to big waves generated by the storm.
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Emong was estimated at 370 kilometers northeast of Basco, Batanes with maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.
Emong maintained its strength as it moved north-northwest at 19 kph.
Loiz said Emong is likely to intensify into a typhoon as it hovers over the Pacific Ocean.
Emong was not expected to make landfall in any part of the country, based on latest forecasts.
It is predicted to be 660 km northeast of Basco, Batanes or out of the Philippine area of responsibility this morning.
Loiz said the weather is expected to improve beginning Sunday.
PAGASA also announced efforts of getting closer to its goal of localized weather forecasting.
This includes installation of Doppler radars in strategic areas of the country, along with the establishment of 200 automatic weather stations (AWS) and 1,000 rain gauges.
Flaviana Hilario, deputy head for research and development of PAGASA, said localized weather forecasting would greatly help local government units.
Localized weather forecasting is aimed at determining possible weather conditions in provinces and towns.
Hilario said PAGASA has started the trend by releasing weather forecasts in specific areas of the country through weather instruments installed in strategic areas.
Hilton Hernando, head of the Pampanga River Flood Forecasting and Warning Center, explained that each AWS is equipped with devices capable of measuring current temperature, humidity, wind speed, directions and pressure, along with rainfall.
He said that previous and current data gathered by instruments in the AWS are analyzed by PAGASA.
The Bulacan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, on the other hand, said they have installed at least 42 rain gauges in 21 towns and three cities in the province.
Along with these instruments are two AWS, one of which is operated by the provincial risk management office and the other donated by the Aboitiz Group through the League of Provinces in the Philippines. – With Dino Balabo