Domeng intensifies into severe tropical storm

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MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Domeng (Maliksi) intensified into a severe tropical storm on Saturday afternoon, June 9, while still enhancing the southwest monsoon which is affecting Luzon and the Visayas.

The severe tropical storm category is the 3rd strongest classification, behind the typhoon and super typhoon categories.

In a bulletin issued 4 pm on Saturday, state weather bureau PAGASA said Domeng now has maximum winds of 90 kilometers per hour (km/h) from the previous 85 km/h and gustiness of up to 115 km/h from the previous 105 km/h.

The severe tropical storm is now located 640 kilometers east northeast of Basco, Batanes, moving north northeast at a faster 27 km/h from the previous 21 km/h. Due to its direction, it is not expected to make landfall in any part of the Philippines.

There are no areas under tropical cyclone warning signals, but Domeng is enhancing the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat.

Domeng and the southwest monsoon combined will bring moderate to heavy rain to Metro Manila, Central Luzon, the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, and Western Visayas. Residents of these areas should remain on alert for flash floods and landslides.

Light to moderate rain will also hit the rest of Luzon and the rest of the Visayas due to the southwest monsoon. Floods are possible in low-lying areas. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

PAGASA also warned that sea travel is risky in the eastern seaboard of Northern Luzon and the western seaboards of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon.

Based on its latest forecast track, Domeng is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Sunday morning, June 10. By then, it could be a typhoon already.

PAGASA earlier declared the start of the rainy season on Friday, June 8, saying that the rainfall criteria have been met due to “widespread rainfall recorded in most PAGASA stations during the past few days.”

– Rappler.com