‘Saudel’ may enter PAR today

The state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Sunday said it was monitoring three tropical cyclones outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), with typhoon "Saudel" expected to enter the PAR on Monday.

PAGASA weather specialist Obet Badrina said "Saudel" would be given the local name “Obet” once it enters the PAR. The typhoon was located about 2,245 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon and was moving west-northwestward at 25 kph, with maximum sustained winds of 175 kph and gusts of up to 215 kph.

The other systems being monitored were tropical depression "Gaenari," formerly typhoon "Neneng," located about 565 kilometers north of Itbayat, Batanes, and another tropical depression about 1,205 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas.

"Saudel" is not expected to make landfall in the Philippines, but it could enhance the southwest monsoon, or habagat, bringing rain to western parts of Luzon and the Visayas by Tuesday or Wednesday.

The tropical depression east of Eastern Visayas could also influence the weather pattern, although PAGASA said its chances of entering the PAR remained relatively low as it was expected to move northward.

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon continued to affect Batanes, where PAGASA warned of occasional rain and issued a yellow rainfall warning. The province could receive 50 to 100 millimeters of rain from Sunday through Monday.

Metro Manila, the Ilocos Region, the Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Rizal, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, and the rest of Cagayan Valley may experience cloudy skies with scattered rain and thunderstorms due to the southwest monsoon.

The rest of the country may experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

Residents in flood-prone and landslide-prone areas were advised to monitor PAGASA updates and follow instructions from local disaster-response authorities.