Cloudy Wednesday with rain showers in parts of PH as Gener exits

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Depression Gener has exited the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), and Tropical Storm Helen is also expected to follow suit on Wednesday, according to the state weather bureau.

Meanwhile, rain showers are expected in many parts of the country due to the enhanced southwest monsoon, or “habagat,” the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

According to weather specialist Benison Estareja, Gener left PAR at 2:00 a.m.  Wednesday.

As of 4:00 a.m., Gener was located some 410 kilometers west of Bacnotan, La Union, packing maximum sustained winds of 50 kilometers per hour (kph) with gustiness of up to 70 kph.

Helen was last spotted some 1,150 kilometers east-northeast of extreme Northern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of 85 kph with gustiness of 105 kph, Pagasa said.

“Helen is forecast to move generally west-northwestward for the entire forecast period and may exit the PAR region this afternoon or evening,” Pagasa said in its 5:00 a.m. advisory.

“Throughout the forecast period, Helen will remain far from the Philippine landmass and will not directly affect any part of the country,” Pagasa added.

‘Habagat’ rainfall alert!

Despite its distance from the country’s landmass, Gener and Helen are expected to enhance the southwest monsoon, or “habagat,”  according to Estareja.

“This Tropical Depression Gener plus Tropical Storm Helen will strengthen [the] southwest monsoon or habagat,” he said.

Estareja said many parts of the country, including Metro Manila, will have overcast skies with rains.

Pagasa said the enhanced “habagat” will bring monsoon rains to Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, and Antique; while the rest of Mimaropa (Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), the rest of Western Visayas, Batangas, Zambales, Bataan, and Pangasinan will have occasional rains due to the said weather system.

Cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the “habagat” are expected in Metro Manila, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Central Luzon, Ilocos region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Bicol region, the rest of the Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or BARRM, Caraga and Northern Mindanao.

Rough seas alert!

Meanwhile, the western seaboards of Central Luzon, Southern Visayas will have rough to very rough sea conditions with 2.8 to 4.5 meters of waves due to the said weather disturbances.

“Warnings are for sea areas within 30 nautical miles from the coast. Sea travel is risky for small seacrafts (including all motor bancas of any type or tonnage). Mariners of these vessels are advised to remain in port or seek safe harbor. For larger vessels, operating in these conditions required experience and properly equipped vessels,” Pagasa said in its another advisory for gale warning.