MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Ineng (Yun-yeung) has left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at 4 am Wednesday, September 6, although it is still slightly enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat.

In its final bulletin on the tropical depression, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Ineng left PAR with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 70 km/h.

Currently located 1,240 km east northeast of extreme Northern Luzon, it is moving north northeastward away from the country toward the sea south of mainland Japan while gradually intensifying.

While Ineng is not directly affecting the country, it is still slightly enhancing the southwest monsoon together with the remnants of Haikui, bringing occasional rain over the western portions of Northern and Central Luzon in the next three days.

The trough of Ineng is still bringing scattered rain showers and thunderstorms to Batanes, Abra, Apayao, Cagayan, and Isabela on Wednesday morning.

The southwest monsoon, which is seen to continue weakening within the week, is still bringing occasional rain to Ilocos Region, Zambales, and Bataan.

Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, the rest of Central Luzon, and the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region can expect scattered rain showers and thunderstorms, while the rest of the country may have isolated rain showers or thunderstorms either due to the southwest monsoon or localized thunderstorms.

PAGASA advised the following areas to remain on alert for floods and landslides due to heavy rainfall:

Wednesday, September 6

• 50-100 millimeters (mm): Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan

Thursday, September 7

• 50-100 mm: Batanes, Babuyan Islands

A gale warning is still up on Wednesday morning over the following seaboards, which will have rough to very rough waters due to the southwest monsoon:

• western seaboard of Northern and Central luzon (Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan) – waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high
• northern seaboard of Northern Luzon (Batanes, Babuyan Islands, northern coast of Cagayan) – waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high

PAGASA advised fishing boats and other small vessels not to sail, and larger vessels to watch out for big waves.

According to PAGASA Weather Specialist Obet Badrina, there is a slim chance of a tropical cyclone developing within PAR at least in the next two days.

Ineng was the Philippines’ ninth tropical cyclone for 2023 and the first for September. – Rappler.com