Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 29) — Tropical Storm Falcon (international name: Khanun) intensified further as it moved north northwestward over the Philippine Sea, the state weather bureau said on Saturday.
Falcon is forecast to steadily intensify within the next three days. It could become a typhoon late Sunday evening or Monday morning and reach its peak intensity on Tuesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 11 p.m. bulletin.
However, PAGASA said Falcon will remain far from landmass, and the raising of wind signals is unlikely.
The storm was last spotted 1,210 kilometers east of Central Luzon, moving north northwestward at 15 kilometers per hour (kph) – packing maximum sustained winds of 85 kph and gustiness of up to 105 kph.
Falcon is the sixth tropical cyclone to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) this year and the third in July.
It is expected to exit PAR Monday afternoon or evening, before heading to the east coast of China.
Falcon will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon, or habagat, to bring rains and strong gusts of winds to western areas of Luzon and the Visayas in the next three days.
The habagat is currently strengthened by Doksuri, a tropical storm over mainland China, PAGASA said. It was called Egay, peaking at a super typhoon category, while inside PAR.
The enhanced southwest monsoon is expected to dump heavy rainfall over Zambales, Bataan, and Occidental Mindoro on Saturday.
Light to moderate with at times heavy rains may be experienced over Metro Manila, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Antique, and northern Palawan.
Gusty conditions are forecast over Zambales, Bataan, Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, and most of Calabarzon, Bicol region, and Western Visayas,
PAGASA said strong bursts of winds will be expected over a large portion of Luzon and Visayas in the coming days.
