Pagasa: Brace for more rains Metro Manila, other parts of Luzon, Visayas

MANILA, Philippines — Expect a rainy Friday in Metro Manila and other parts of the country as Typhoon Fabian enhances the southwest monsoon or “habagat” while moving slowly over extreme Northern Luzon, the state weather bureau said.

Rain, rain, rain

Metro Manila, Ilocos region, Benguet, Abra, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Mindoro provinces and northern Palawan, including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands will continue to experience monsoon rains.

Western Visayas and the rest of Luzon are likewise going to experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms still because of the southwest monsoon.

“Dahil po medyo mabagal ito (Fabian), patuloy pa rin natin asahan na magpapaulan pa rin yan, ine-enhance pa rin niya yung southwest monsoon na nagpapaulan po sa malaking bahagi ng Luzon at Kabisayaan,” said Pagasa weather specialist Shelly Ignacio.

(Because Fabian’s slow movement, it will continue to spawn rains. It still enhances the southwest monsoon that brings rains over a huge part of Luzon and Visayas.) Fabian is forecast to exit the Philippine area of responsibility between Friday evening and Saturday morning.

Signal No. 1

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 remains hoisted over Batanes and Babuyan Islands, Pagasa said in its early Friday morning update.

Fabian was last located 495 kilometers northeast of Itbayat, Batanes – maintaining maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph.