Pagasa puzzled by storm Gener

Manila–”Kakaiba (unusual).”

This was how a forecaster of the state-run Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) described the unusual wind strength of Sunday night’s weather disturbance.

Weather forecaster Jori Loiz said the weather disturbance hit Central and Southern Luzon as a monsoon surge, where the southwest monsoon merged with a  shallow low pressure area (LPA).

“We expected the southwest monsoon to bring rains and issued a gale warning but what we missed was the strength of gustiness,” Loiz said. He said the  monsoon or Habagat was enhanced by Tropical Storm Gener.

He said they were stunned that the monsoon brought in 60 km per hour winds typical of Storm Signal No.2.

Loiz told the Inquirer that in his entire stint at Pagasa, he has never seen a pattern similar to last Sunday night.

“The shallow LPA was like a boat sent adrift on a river,” he explained.

He explained that the shallow LPA was embedded in the clouds and was engulfed by the strength of the southwest monsoon.

This was unusual, he said since LPAs usually stay on the edges.

“A tropical depression would bring 55 kph winds. Last night (Sunday) was almost signal number two,” he said.

At 4 p.m. yesterday typhoon  Gener  was estimated at 260 km east of Basco, Batanes  with winds of 120 kph  to  150 kph.

It is forecast to move north northwest at 7 kph.

Gener  is expected to be outside the Philippine area of responsibility by Thursday.

The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) said in its an advisory that strong winds felled power lines resulting  in low water supply in Metro Cebu areas.

But airport operations   remained normal at the Mactan Cebu International Airport.

No flights were cancelled, said the airport’s Public Affairs Office.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said several billboards were removed in the city as a safety precaution due to the strong winds. /Inquirer with Correspondents Jessa Marie J. Agua and Tweeny M. Malinao