Tropical Depression Henry on way out, but monsoon brings rain

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MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Henry slightly accelerated over the Luzon Strait, on its way out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) early Tuesday morning, July 17. The southwest monsoon, however, remains a threat.

In a bulletin issued 8 am on Tuesday, state weather bureau PAGASA said Henry is already 230 kilometers west of Calayan, Cagayan, moving west at a slightly faster 25 kilometers per hour (km/h) from the previous 20 km/h.

The tropical depression continues to have maximum winds of 60 km/h and gustiness of up to 75 km/h.

Only these areas remain under signal number 1:

• Babuyan Group of Islands
• northern part of Ilocos Norte

Henry earlier made landfall in the following areas in the province of Cagayan:

• Camiguin Island
• Fuga Island
• Dalupiri Island

Though the tropical depression is about to leave PAR, the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat is still bringing rain.

There’s monsoon rain in Metro Manila, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, and Western Visayas.

Scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms will also hit the rest of the country due to the southwest monsoon.

Areas affected by Henry and the southwest monsoon should stay on alert for possible flash floods and landslides. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Several areas in Luzon have suspended classes for Tuesday due to the heavy rain. (READ: #WalangPasok: Class suspensions, Tuesday, July 17)

The Senate also canceled work, as ordered by Senator Gregorio Honasan II, who is the officer-in-charge as Senate President Vicente Sotto III is abroad.

The Supreme Court (SC), meanwhile, suspended work for its personnel starting noon. The SC said “discretion is given to presiding justices of third level courts and executive judges of trial courts in Metro Manila and other affected areas to suspend work, considering specific circumstances in their localities.”

PAGASA also warned that sea travel remains risky in the western seaboard of Southern Luzon. Fishermen and others with small sea vessels are also advised not to venture out into the seaboards of areas under signal number 1 and the seaboards of the rest of Luzon. Both Henry and the southwest monsoon are causing moderate to rough seas.

Based on its latest forecast track, Henry is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday morning.

Henry is the Philippines’ 8th tropical cyclone for 2018. The country usually gets an average of 20 tropical cyclones per year. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2018)

Aside from Henry, PAGASA is also monitoring a low pressure area (LPA) located 780 kilometers east of Infanta, Quezon. This LPA is still too far to affect the country at the moment, but it could develop into a tropical depression within the next 48 hours.

PAGASA declared the start of the rainy season last June 8. – Rappler.com