Typhoon Betty, monsoon to bring cloudy skies, rain over most parts of PH

MANILA, Philippines — Cloudy skies and rains are expected to prevail in most parts of the country on Tuesday due to Typhoon Betty (international name ‘Mawar’) and its enhancement of the southwest monsoon, locally known as “habagat,” according to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

According to Pagasa weather specialist Grace Castañeda, Betty further weakened and was last monitored 350 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes, with maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 185 kph.

“Ito ay kumikilos pahilaga hilaga kanluran sa bilis na 10 kph at ngayong araw inaasahan na ito at maging ang southwest monsoon ay magdudulot ng maulap na kalangitan at mga pagulan dito sa malaking bahagi ng Northern Luzon maging sa silangan o kanlurang bahagi ng Southern Luzon, Visayas, at Mindanao,” Castañeda said in an early morning press briefing.

(It is moving north-northwest at a speed of 10 kph, and today, Betty and the southwest monsoon are expected to bring cloudy skies and rain in large part of Northern Luzon, even in the eastern or western part of Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.)

Earlier, Pagasa lifted Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 in eight Luzon provinces. However, Signal No. 2 remains hoisted in Batanes, northeastern Cagayan, including the Babuyan Islands, while Signal No. 1 is still raised in Mainland Cagayan, Isabela, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Eastern Mountain Province, Ilocos Norte, and Northern Aurora.

On the other hand, habagat may bring occasional gusts of winds and affect the Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Aurora, Quezon, Mindoro Provinces, Marinduque, Romblon, Northern Samar, and the rest of Cordillera Administrative Region and Ilocos Norte that are not under any wind signal in the next 24 hours, based on Pagasa’s 5 a.m. weather bulletin.

Pagasa also raised gale warnings as it expects turbulent sea conditions with waves as high as 3.1 to 6.5 meters on the coasts of the following areas:

• Batanes
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Isabela
• Aurora
• Batangas
• Quezon including Polillo Islands
• Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands
• Oriental Mindoro
• Marinduque
• Romblon
• Palawan including Calamian, Cuyo, Cagayancillo, and Kalayaan Island
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Catanduanes
• Masbate including Burlas and Ticao Islands
• Samar
• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• Bohol
• Siquijor
• Cebu
• Negros Oriental
• Negros Occidental
• Guimaras
• Iloilo
• Capiz
• Aklan
• Antique

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