Habagat dumps rain in Luzon as Typhoon ‘Helen’ leaves

Heavy clouds can be seen over Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal and most parts of the Visayas and Mindanao in this satellite photo released by the Pagasa at 6 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2016. PAGASA PHOTO

All storm signals in the country have been lifted as Typhoon Helen (international name Megi) left the Philippine area of responsibility early Wednesday, but monsoon rain persisted in many parts of Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

The typhoon was last spotted 515 kilometers north-northeast of Basco, Batanes, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

Sea travel remained risky over the northern seaboards of Northern Luzon.

Helen made landfall over Taiwan on Tuesday afternoon, but it will still enhance the southwest monsoon in the Philippines.

The typhoon packed maximum sustained winds of 130 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 200 kph. It continued to move west northwest at 19 kph.

At  4 a.m., Pagasa issued a heavy rainfall warning or Yellow warning over Metro Manila and nearby provinces due to the southwest monsoon enhanced by Helen.

MetroManila, Bulacan, Bataan, Rizal and Cavite will experience rains in the next three hours from 5:30 a.m.

Light to moderate rain with occasional heavy rain are affecting #Quezon (General Nakar), Laguna, Batangas, Zambales and Pampanga and may persist for two to three hours.

Expect light to moderate rain over Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and other areas of Quezon within the next two hours, Pagasa said. CBB