Pagasa: ‘Domeng’ intensifies, to exit PAR Saturday
MANILA, Philippines — Tropical storm Domeng has intensified while swirling over the Philippine Sea, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Saturday.
From 75 kilometers per hour (kph), Domeng now packs maximum sustained winds of 85 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 105 kph.
The tropical cyclone also slowed down and is moving north-northwestward at 15 kph from 20 kph.
Pagasa said the center of “Domeng” was spotted some 975 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon as of 4 a.m. and is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) Saturday morning or afternoon.
“Domeng” will not directly affect the country’s weather, but together with Severe Tropical Storm Chaba which is outside the PAR, will enhance the southwest monsoon or “habagat.”
Weekend rain showers
The southwest monsoon will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms to Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, and Kalayaan Islands.
The rest of the country, including Metro Manila, meanwhile, will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms.
The southwest monsoon will likewise cause “occasional gusty conditions reaching strong breeze to gale-force in strength over extreme Northern Luzon, the northern and western portions of Luzon, and the western portion of Visayas.”
A gale warning remains hoisted over the western seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon.
