Karding exits PAR, but monsoon rain to continue

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MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Tropical Storm Karding (Yagi) left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Saturday morning, August 11, but it will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat.

In a bulletin issued 11 am on Saturday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Karding is already 905 kilometers northeast of Basco, Batanes, moving northwest at 25 kilometers per hour (km/h).

The tropical storm maintained its strength, with maximum winds of 75 km/h and gustiness of up to 90 km/h.

Karding did not make landfall in the Philippines, only staying near the PAR boundary. No areas were placed under tropical cyclone warning signals, too.

But even though Karding is already outside PAR, it will still enhance the southwest monsoon.

The enhanced southwest monsoon is bringing scattered to widespread rainshowers to Northern Luzon, Central Luzon, and the western part of Southern Luzon.

In particular, moderate to heavy rain is hitting Metro Manila, the Ilocos Region, the Cordillera Administrative Region, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Rizal. PAGASA advised residents of these areas to be on alert for flash floods and landslides.

At 2 pm on Saturday, PAGASA also issued a red rainfall warning for Metro Manila and Rizal, meaning torrential rain will continue for two more hours and serious floods are expected in low-lying areas.

A yellow rainfall warning was also issued for Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, and northern Quezon, which means heavy rain will persist for two more hours and floods are possible in low-lying areas. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Saturday classes have been suspended in some areas. (READ: #WalangPasok: Class suspensions, Saturday, August 11)

The state weather bureau also warned that sea travel remains risky in the western seaboard of Luzon.

A gale warning was issued for Batanes, the Calayan Group of Islands, the Babuyan Group of Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, the western coast of Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, and northern Palawan. This means seas off these areas are rough to very rough, with wave heights reaching 2.6 meters to 4.5 meters.

Fishermen and others with small vessels were advised not to set sail in areas covered by the gale warning. Larger vessels should watch out for big waves.

Meanwhile, the tropical depression outside PAR that was also earlier enhancing the southwest monsoon is already 1,030 kilometers west of extreme Northern Luzon, moving north toward southeastern China at 10 km/h.

The tropical depression continues to have maximum winds of 55 km/h and gustiness of up to 75 km/h, but it has no direct effect on the Philippines.

Karding was the Philippines’ 11th 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)

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