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MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm Henry (Matmo) is not likely to make landfall but it will enhance the southwest monsoon, the state weather bureau said Friday.
The outer spiral rainbands of Henry have started to affect the eastern part of Visayas and Mindanao, but the storm is not forecast to make landfall, Jun Galang, weather forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration told INQUIRER.net.
Because of its slow movement due to a high pressure northeast, it will leave the Philippine area of responsibility by Thursday, July 24. Galang said it will only speed up its movement after two days.
By Tuesday, the storm will affect Southern Luzon and Metro Manila when it enhances the southwest monsoon.
The storm is headed for Northern Taiwan or Southern Japan.
At 4 p.m. Friday, Henry was located 860 kilometers east of Guiuan in Eastern Samar, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour with gusts of up to 80 kph.
It moved north northwest at 9 kph.