Tropical cyclone Falcon (international name: Khanun) further intensified on Sunday, July 30, and may bring more rains over parts of the country in the next three days, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). In its 5 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the center of Falcon was last located 1,190 kilometers east of northern Luzon. Falcon was upgraded from a tropical storm to a severe tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 80 kph. It may continue to intensify gradually and become a typhoon between Sunday evening and Monday morning, July 31, as it moves over the Philippine Sea. ![IMG_3101.jpeg](https://storage.googleapis.com/mb-mkt-neo-prod-1-uploads/IMG_3101_d035f48211/IMG_3101_d035f48211.jpeg) ###### (PAGASA)
PAGASA said Falcon may remain far from the country’s landmass, making the raising of tropical cyclone wind signals still unlikely. However, it may continue to pull the southwest monsoon, which could bring rains over Metro Manila, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Romblon, Northern Samar, and most of Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), Bicol Region, and Western Visayas on Sunday. On Monday, monsoon rains may persist in Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Romblon, Northern Samar, and most of Calabarzon, Bicol Region and Western Visayas, and on Tuesday in Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Bulacan, Bicol Region, and most of Calabarzon, Mimaropa (Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), and Western Visayas. “Under these conditions, flooding and rain-induced landslides are expected 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. Falcon continues to move north-northwestward at 15 kph, and may leave the country’s area of responsibility on Monday or Tuesday, Aug. 1.

Source: Manila Bulletin (https://mb.com.ph/2023/7/29/falcon-intensifies-into-severe-tropical-storm-enhanced-habagat-may-bring-more-rains)