The Philippine state weather bureau said that even tropical depression Aere, with local name ‘Julian’ is weakening while travelling outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), it will still enhance the southwest monsoon or ‘habagat’.
According to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Julian still enhances rain-driving southwest monsoon or ‘habagat’ that is affecting now the northern and central Luzon.
PAGASA weather forecaster Meno Mendoza said, ‘Aere’ is off Batanes province and unable to further move away from the Philippines, continuing to enhance the ‘habagat’.
“That storm has been almost stationary for days as high-pressure areas are blocking its movement,” he added.
Based on the 24-hour forecast of PAGASA that was released on Monday, ‘Aere’ is outside the PAR at some 485 km. west-northwest of Batanes’ capital of Basco.
The weather disturbance was packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kph and gustiness of up to 90 kph.
Mendoza cleared he did not discount the possibility of Aere just remaining where it is now until the time the storm dissipates.
However, the weather forecaster did not expect the enhancement of the storm of the southwest monsoon to last long.
“Data indicate ‘Aere’ is weakening already and will likely dissipate around middle of this week,” he said.
On the other hand, PAGASA expects rain from the enhanced ‘habagat’ to be less intense compared to the previous weeks.
Mendoza noted that the ‘habagat’ is weakening amid the ongoing transition to the northeast monsoon or ‘amihan’.
“We expect ‘amihan’ to commence prevailing around the last week of this month,” he said.
As of now according to Mendoza, there is no weather system inside or near PAR that could bring inclement weather to the country.
“There’s low chance for the severe tropical storm with international name ‘Songda’ to enter PAR and affect our country,” he also said.
PAGASA noted that ‘Songda’ was packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kph and gustiness of 120 kph but is still far from the country at about 2,615 km. east-northeast of extreme northern Luzon.
‘Songda’ is moving west-northwest at 25 kph but may begin turning northeastwards away from PAR early this week.
