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MANILA, Philippines – Severe Tropical Storm Nimfa (Tapah) left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at 2 am on Saturday, September 21.

In a bulletin issued 5 am on Saturday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Nimfa is already 705 kilometers northeast of Basco, Batanes, outside PAR.

The severe tropical storm accelerated as it left, now moving north northwest at 25 kilometers per hour (km/h) from the previous 10 km/h.

It also slightly intensified as it made its exit, now with maximum winds of 110 km/h from the previous 95 km/h and gustiness of up to 135 km/h from the previous 115 km/h.

Nimfa did not make landfall in the country, and no areas were placed under tropical cyclone wind signals. But its trough or extension had brought rain to Northern Luzon.

While Nimfa is already outside, there will still be scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms in Luzon on Saturday due to the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat.

Flash floods and landslides remain possible, particularly if the rain becomes heavy. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Travel also remains risky in the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon due to rough to very rough sea conditions. The other seaboards of the country will remain moderate to rough, said PAGASA.

Nimfa was the Philippines’ 14th tropical cyclone for 2019, and the 4th in September. (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 September to December:

• 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