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MANILA, Philippines – Hanna intensified from a tropical depression into a tropical storm on Sunday afternoon, August 4, while still enhancing the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat. It has been given the international name Lekima.

In a bulletin issued past 4 pm on Sunday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Tropical Storm Hanna (Lekima) is now 1,060 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

It is moving north, still at the same speed of 15 kilometers per hour (km/h).

Hanna now has maximum winds of 65 km/h from the previous 55 km/h and gustiness of up to 80 km/h from the previous 70 km/h. It is expected to intensify further into a severe tropical storm and then a typhoon while inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

There are no areas under tropical cyclone wind signals, since Hanna is far from land. It is also unlikely to make landfall in the country.

But the tropical storm is enhancing the southwest monsoon, which is affecting Luzon and the Visayas.

Below is the expected rainfall from the enhanced southwest monsoon.

• Moderate to heavy monsoon rain
• Metro Manila
• Mimaropa
• Bataan
• Zambales
• Cavite
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Western Visayas
• Scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms
• rest of Central Luzon
• Ilocos Region
• Cordillera Administrative Region
• Bicol
• Rizal
• Quezon
• rest of the Visayas

Areas in Luzon not listed above may also experience isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms due to the trough or extension of the tropical storm.

PAGASA warned that floods and landslides are possible. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Mindanao, not affected by any weather system, will have generally fair weather with only isolated rainshowers.

Meanwhile, a gale warning was issued at 5 pm on Sunday due to both the southwest monsoon and Hanna.

PAGASA warned of rough to very rough seas with wave heights reaching 2.8 meters to 4.5 meters in the following areas:

• western seaboard of Luzon
• Pangasinan
• Zambales
• Bataan
• Occidental Mindoro
• Palawan
• southern and eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon
• Oriental Mindoro
• Marinduque
• Romblon
• Masbate
• Burias Island
• Batangas
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Catanduanes
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Quezon including Polillo Island
• seaboards of the Visayas
• Samar
• Leyte
• Negros Occidental
• Guimaras
• Iloilo
• Capiz
• Aklan
• Antique
• Bohol
• Cebu
• Negros Oriental
• eastern seaboard of Mindanao
• Surigao
• Davao Oriental
• Dinagat Islands
• Siargao

PAGASA said fishing boats and other small vessels should not set sail, while larger vessels must watch out for big waves.

Based on Hanna’s latest forecast track, it is expected to leave PAR on Thursday, August 8.

Hanna is the Philippines’ 8th tropical cyclone for 2019, and the 1st for the month of August. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2019)

The country gets an average of 20 tropical cyclones annually, but since 2019 is an El Niño year, only 14 to 18 tropical cyclones are expected.

Below is the estimated number of tropical cyclones from August to December:

• August – 2 to 4
• September – 2 to 4
• October – 2 or 3
• November – 1 or 2
• December – 0 or 1

PAGASA declared the start of the rainy season last June 14. – Rappler.com