Tropical Depression Josie threatens Ilocos provinces

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Tropical Depression Josie threatens Ilocos provinces
Josie, which slightly intensified early Saturday afternoon, July 21, could make landfall in the vicinity of Ilocos Norte within the next 6 to 12 hours

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MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Josie slightly intensified and accelerated early Saturday afternoon, July 21, and is now threatening the Ilocos provinces.

In a bulletin released past 2 pm on Saturday, state weather bureau PAGASA said Josie now has maximum winds of 55 kilometers per hour (km/h) from the previous 45 km/h and gustiness of up to 65 km/h from the previous 60 km/h.

The tropical depression is already 85 kilometers west of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, now moving east southeast at 15 km/h after its slow pace this morning.

Josie could make landfall in the vicinity of Ilocos Norte within the next 6 to 12 hours.

Signal number 1 is still raised over:

  • Batanes
  • northern Cagayan including the Babuyan Group of Islands
  • Ilocos Norte
  • northern part of Ilocos Sur
  • Apayao
  • northern part of Abra 

Josie is also enhancing the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat.

Expect moderate to heavy rain in the Ilocos Region, the Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Zambales, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija.

Scattered rainshowers, ranging from light to heavy, are also being experienced in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and the rest of Central Luzon due to the southwest monsoon.

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

PAGASA also warned that sea travel is risky in the seaboards of Northern Luzon and in the western seaboard of Central Luzon, especially in areas under signal number 1.

Based on its latest forecast track, Josie is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Monday morning, July 23. That’s the day of President Rodrigo Duterte’s 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Forecast track of Tropical Depression Josie as of July 21, 2018, 2 pm. Image courtesy of PAGASA

Josie is the Philippines’ 10th 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)

Josie comes on the heels of Severe Tropical Storm Inday (Ampil), which left PAR at 1 am on Saturday. Inday did not make landfall in the Philippines, but it enhanced the southwest monsoon.

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

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