‘Falcon’ nears PAR exit, but Signal No. 1 may still be raised over Batanes — PAGASA

Typhoon Falcon (international name: Khanun) is set to exit the country’s area of responsibility, but the possibility of raising tropical cyclone wind signal No. 1 is not being ruled out, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Tuesday morning, Aug. 1. “Due to the very expansive wind field of the typhoon, the hoisting of wind signal due to Falcon over Batanes is no longer ruled out. In such a case, the highest level that may be hoisted is wind signal No. 1,” PAGASA said in its 5 a.m. bulletin.  ###### (PAGASA)

PAGASA weather specialist Grace Castañeda said Falcon may exit the country’s area of responsibility between Tuesday afternoon and evening, but its broad circulation may still reach the Batanes, causing severe weather. Signal No. 1 may be raised as the typhoon moves slowly northwestward, passing close to the Batanes area, she said. As of 4 a.m., the center of the eye of Falcon was last located 925 kilometers east-northeast of extreme Northern Luzon. It was moving northwestward at 20 kilometers per hour (kph), with maximum sustained winds of 175 kph near the center and gusts of up to 215 kph. “Falcon is potentially at its peak intensity at this time and likely to maintain its strength for the next 48 hours, although intensification into a super typhoon is not ruled out,” PAGASA said. **Enhanced ‘habagat’** Castañeda said Falcon may continue to enhance the effect of the southwest monsoon, or “habagat,” which may bring occasional rains to western Luzon in the next three days. In the next 24 hours, scattered to widespread heavy rains may persist in Zambales and Bataan, while occasional moderate to heavy rains may continue in Metro Manila, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Bulacan, and Occidental Mindoro. Meanwhile, scattered rain showers and thunderstorms may affect the Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, and Antique. “Under these conditions, flooding and rain-induced landslides are expected especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps and in localities that experienced considerable amounts of rainfall for the past several days,” PAGASA warned. On Tuesday, the habagat is also expected to bring gusty conditions to Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, the central and southern portions of Aurora, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, and most of Ilocos Region, Southern Luzon, Bicol Region, and Western Visayas. On Wednesday, Aug. 2, gusty conditions caused by the habagat may continue to affect Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, Aurora, Zambales, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Metro Manila, Southern Luzon, the western portion of Northern Samar, and most of Western Visayas.

Source: Manila Bulletin (https://mb.com.ph/2023/7/31/falcon-nears-par-exit-but-signal-no-1-may-still-be-raised-over-batanes-pagasa)