Fabian maintains strength; monsoon rains to persist over parts of Luzon

Track of Typhoon Fabian. Image from Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines — Parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila, will still continue to experience rains due to the southwest monsoon and Typhoon Fabian which has maintained its strength as it moves closer to Miyako Islands in Japan, the state weather bureau said Friday.

Fabian was estimated at 530 kilometers northeast of Itbayat in Batanes, maintaining maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its bulletin.

Batanes and Babuyan Islands can expect strong winds and rains as it remained under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1.

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon enhanced by Fabian will continue to bring rains over a large part of Luzon in the next 24 hours.

Pagasa said Zambales, Bataan, and Occidental Mindoro will experience “moderate to heavy with at times intense rains.”

Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, Tarlac, Pampanga, Cavite, and  Batangas will have moderate to heavy rains while light to moderate with at times heavy rains will prevail over Metro Manila, the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, Bulacan, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Northern Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands.

Pagasa warned of possible floods and landslides during heavy or prolonged rainfall.

Fabian is forecast to exit the Philippine area of responsibility between Friday afternoon or evening and make landfall in the vicinity of Miyako and Yaeyama Islands in Japan.

EDV