MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Betty (Mawar) shifted northeast, or further away from Luzon, on Wednesday morning, May 31, but the enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat is still threatening parts of Mimaropa and Western Visayas.

Due to the southwest monsoon, new heavy rainfall warnings were issued on Wednesday morning for Occidental Mindoro, parts of Palawan, Antique, Aklan, Guimaras, Iloilo, and the southern part of Negros Occidental.

PAGASA warned of floods and landslides in the affected provinces.

Other parts of Southern Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao may also have rain showers or thunderstorms because of the southwest monsoon on Wednesday.

At 10 am, Betty was already 375 kilometers east of Itbayat, Batanes, moving northeast at 10 kilometers per hour (km/h).

The typhoon maintained its strength, with maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h and gustiness of up to 150 km/h.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Betty may still trigger rain until Thursday morning, June 1, in the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Abra, and Benguet. Floods and landslides remain possible.

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Tropical cyclone wind signals have been lifted in some areas. Below is the updated list as of 11 am on Wednesday.

Signal No. 2

Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property

• Batanes

Signal No. 1

Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property

• northeastern part of Isabela (Santa Maria, San Pablo, Divilacan, Maconacon, Palanan, Cabagan)
• Apayao
• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands

PAGASA added that the enhanced southwest monsoon will bring occasional to frequent gusts to Western Visayas, Bicol, Aurora, Quezon, the northern part of mainland Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo islands, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, and Romblon, as well as the remaining areas of the Ilocos Region and the Cordillera Administrative Region that are not under wind signals.

For coastal waters, the gale warning issued at 5 am on Wednesday remains in place:

• seaboards of Northern Luzon and eastern seaboard of Central Luzon – rough to high seas, with waves 3.1 to 6.5 meters high
• seaboards of Southern Luzon and eastern seaboard of Visayas – rough to very rough seas, with waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high

PAGASA warned that rough to high seas are risky for all vessels. In areas with rough to very rough seas, small vessels should not sail while larger vessels must be on alert for big waves.

Betty is expected to gradually accelerate from Wednesday to Thursday while generally heading north. But PAGASA said there may be “some wobbling in its movement,” such as “sudden turns” to the north northeast or north northwest, in the near term or in the next 12 hours.

The typhoon could shift more toward the northeast starting Thursday afternoon or evening.

Betty may weaken into a severe tropical storm on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning, and into a tropical storm on Friday evening, June 2, or Saturday morning, June 3.

There is also a chance of Betty weakening at a faster rate due to the effect of dry air on the typhoon, added PAGASA.

It could leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday evening or early Friday morning.

Outside PAR, it may pass very close to or make landfall in the vicinity of Japan’s central Ryukyu Islands, possibly in Okinawa Island, by mid-Friday, according to PAGASA.

Also outside PAR, Betty may start transitioning into a post-tropical cyclone on Saturday or Sunday, June 4.

Betty entered PAR as a super typhoon early Saturday, May 27, and before its entry, had reached a peak intensity of 215 km/h. It is the country’s second tropical cyclone for 2023 and the first super typhoon of the year. – Rappler.com