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MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Hanna (Lekima) maintained its strength on Sunday night, August 4, as it continued to enhance the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat.

In a bulletin issued 11 pm on Sunday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Hanna is already 945 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

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

Hanna still has maximum winds of 65 km/h and gustiness of up to 80 km/h. But 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.

Here is the latest list of areas affected by the enhanced southwest monsoon.

Monday, August 5

• Light to heavy monsoon rain
• northern part of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo islands
• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro
• Scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms
• rest of Mimaropa
• Metro Manila
• Ilocos Region
• Cordillera Administrative Region
• Central Luzon
• Calabarzon
• Bicol
• Visayas

Tuesday, August 6

• Light to heavy monsoon rain
• Metro Manila
• Pangasinan
• Zambales
• Bataan
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Rizal
• Cavite
• Batangas
• Laguna
• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro
• northern part of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo islands
• Romblon
• Aklan
• Antique
• Scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms
• rest of Ilocos Region
• rest of Central Luzon
• Cordillera Administrative Region
• Bicol
• rest of the Visayas

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

PAGASA also advised fishermen and others with small vessels not to venture out into the western seaboards of Northern Luzon and Central Luzon, the seaboards of Southern Luzon and the Visayas, and the eastern seaboard of Mindanao.

PAGASA warned of rough to very rough seas with wave heights reaching 2.8 meters to 4.5 meters.

Based on Hanna’s latest forecast track, it is expected to leave PAR on Friday, August 9.

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