CEBU CITY, Philippines – Tropical Depression (TD) Falcon has changed its direction and is now headed for Northern Luzon, said Engr. Al Quiblat of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Visayas.
Falcon is expected to make a landfall in northern Luzon on Wednesday afternoon and will exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday.
Quiblat gave the weather update during a gathering of members of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC-7) earlier today, July 15, for a Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) Emergency Response Preparedness (ERP) meeting.
Members of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC-7) convened earlier today, July 15, for a pre-disaster assessment. /Photo from the PIA Cebu Facebook page
A Facebook post by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Cebu quoted Quiblat saying that TD Falcon will not have any direct effects on the Visayas.
Falcon, Quiblat said, is already the sixth tropical cyclone to enter the country this year. It is also the first of two or three cyclones expected within the month.
The eye of TD Falcon was spotted around 940 kilometers east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes or 1,150 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora, said a Pagasa weather bulletin issued at 10 a.m. today. Falcon was seen moving at a maximum speed of 25 kilometers per hour (kph) with maximum winds of up to 45 kph and gustiness of 60 kph near its center.
Falcon may intensify into a Tropical Storm before making landfall in Northern Luzon on Wednesday afternoon or evening. Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal may also be raised over portions of Northern Luzon starting on Tuesday morning, the advisory said.
The Pagasa bulletin said that scattered to widespread rainshowers and thunderstorms will be experienced over Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas within the day due to the trough of TD Falcon.
Raining is also experienced at the Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro, MIMAROPA, and the rest of Visayas as a result of the Southwest Monsoon.