Super Typhoon Henry to enhance Southwest Monsoon that will bring rains over western section of Luzon island
(Eagle News) – Batanes and the northeastern portion of Babuyan Islands were placed under tropical cyclone wind signal number 1 as super typhoon “Henry” (international name Hinnamnor) approached extreme northern Luzon.
In its 5 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA, the country’s weather bureau, said the super typhoon also slightly weakened as it began to decelerate south southwestward over the Philippine Sea Northeast of Batanes.
On Thursday night, September 1, moderate to heavy rains will prevail over Batanes, while light to moderate with at times heavy rains are expected over the Babuyan Islands, PAGASA said.
As of PAGASA’s 5 p.m. weather bulletin, the center of the eye of Super Typhoon “Henry” was estimated based on all available data at 400 kilometers East Northeast of Itbayat, Batanes (21.6 °N, 125.6 °E ).
It is moving south southwestward at 15 kilometers per hour, with maximum sustained winds of 185 km/hour near the center and gusts of up to 230 km/hour. Before that, in the bureau’s 11 a.m. bulletin, it was reported to have maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 240 kilometers per hour.
PAGASA said that on Friday, Sept. 2, there will still be moderate to heavy rains over Batanes and the Babuyan Islands. These heavy rains are expected to prevail in Batanes until Saturday, Sept. 3, while in Babuyan Islands, “light to moderate with at times heavy rains (are) possible over Babuyan Islands.”
“Under these conditions, isolated to scattered flooding (including flash floods) and rain-induced landslides are possible especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazard as identified in hazard maps, and in localities with significant antecedent rainfall,” PAGASA said in its bulletin.
But “Henry” is also “forecast to enhance the Southwest Monsoon which may bring rains over the western section of Luzon” beginning Friday, Sept. 2.
-Super Typhoon to exit PHL by Saturday or Sunday-
On the forecast track, HENRY may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday evening (Sept. 3) or Sunday morning (Sept. 4)
PAGASA said that this super typhoon will “weaken gradually as it begins to slow down or enters the quasi-stationary phase.”
(Eagle News Service)