‘Helen’ enters PH; moderate to heavy rains expected

Severe Tropical Storm “Megi” on Saturday afternoon entered the Philippine area of responsibility, the state weather bureau said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Megi, now locally named “Helen,” was last spotted 1,390 kilometers east northeast of Casiguran, Aurora, at 4 p.m.

Pagasa said Helen was forecast  to move west northwest at 25 kph. The storm packed maximum sustained winds of up to 110 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 140 kph.

The weather bureau said no tropical cyclone signal was raised in any provinces but warned of moderate to heavy rains.

Estimated rainfall amount is from moderate to heavy rains within 600 km diameter of the storm.

Helen would be the third weather disturbance to affect northern Luzon in two weeks once it enters Philippine area of responsibility. Northern Luzon was earlier hit by Typhoons “Ferdie” (Meranti) and “Gener” (Malakas).

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