Tropical Storm Emong slightly weakens while moving away from Batanes

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Most areas start to see gradually improving weather late Friday evening, July 25, while Batanes still faces heavy rain and strong winds due to Tropical Storm Emong (Co-may)

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Emong (Co-may) slightly weakened as it continued to move away from the province of Batanes late Friday evening, July 25.

Emong’s maximum sustained winds are down to 75 kilometers per hour from the previous 85 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in a briefing past 11 pm on Friday. Its gustiness is now up to 90 km/h from 115 km/h.

As of 10 pm, the tropical storm was located 260 kilometers east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes. It slowed down a bit, moving northeast at 35 km/h from 40 km/h, but it remains generally fast.

Though it is moving away from Batanes, Emong is still bringing heavy to intense rain (100-200 millimeters) to the province in the coming hours. It is also causing moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm) in Cagayan, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte.

Only Batanes remains under a tropical cyclone wind signal — Signal No. 1 — as strong winds persist. The highest tropical cyclone wind signal raised due to Emong was Signal No. 4.

The tropical storm remains on track to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Saturday morning, July 26.

Outside PAR, it is expected to eventually weaken into a remnant low on Saturday evening or Sunday morning, July 27, as it enters the East China Sea.

At its peak, Emong was a typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h. It made landfall twice as a typhoon — first in Agno, Pangasinan, at 10:40 pm on Thursday, July 24, then in Candon City, Ilocos Sur, at 5:10 am on Friday.

Emong began weakening as it crossed the mountainous terrain of Northern Luzon, but not before causing serious damage and flooding.

Enhanced southwest monsoon

On its way out of PAR, Emong is still enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat. The areas still receiving significant rain due to the enhanced southwest monsoon are the following:

Friday evening, July 25, to Saturday evening, July 26

Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro

Saturday evening, July 26, to Sunday evening, July 27

Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Zambales, Bataan

Sunday evening, July 27, to Monday evening, July 28

Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan

Rainfall from the enhanced southwest monsoon has already eased in several areas, including Metro Manila, although occasional rain remains possible.

During the entire weekend, strong to gale-force gusts triggered by the southwest monsoon may also persist in Batanes, Babuyan Islands, the Ilocos Region, the Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora, Zambales, Bataan, Rizal, Quezon, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Romblon, Bicol, Western Visayas, Northern Samar, and Negros Occidental.

The gale warning released at 5 pm on Friday for the seaboard of Northern Luzon remains in effect. Several other seaboards are still risky for small vessels.

Up to very rough seas (travel is risky for all vessels)

Seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands; northern seaboard of mainland Cagayan – waves up to 5.5 meters high
Remaining seaboard of Cagayan; seaboard of Isabela – waves up to 4.5 meters high

Up to rough seas (small vessels should not venture out to sea)

Seaboard of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, and Zambales; western seaboards of Bataan and Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands – waves up to 4 meters high
Northeastern seaboard of Aurora; western seaboards of Cavite, Batangas, and Palawan including Calamian Islands – waves up to 3.5 meters high

Up to moderate seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible)

Seaboards of Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Marinduque, Kalayaan Islands, Cuyo Islands, Cagayancillo Islands, and Antique; remaining seaboards of Bataan, Aurora, Cavite, Batangas, and Calamian Islands; southern seaboard of Quezon; eastern seaboard of Oriental Mindoro; northern and western seaboards of Romblon; western seaboard of Aklan including Caluya Islands – waves up to 2.5 meters high
Seaboards of Northern Samar and Surigao del Sur; remaining seaboards of Bicol, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, and Romblon; southwestern seaboard of Negros Occidental and Iloilo; western seaboard of Guimaras; eastern seaboards of Catanduanes and Davao Oriental – waves up to 2 meters high

ALSO ON RAPPLER

Krosa

In addition, PAGASA continues to monitor Tropical Storm Krosa, located outside PAR. It was 2,350 kilometers east of Northern Luzon as of 10 pm on Friday, slowly moving north northeast.

Krosa intensified, with its maximum sustained winds increasing to 75 km/h from 65 km/h. Its gustiness is now up to 90 km/h from 80 km/h.

The tropical storm remains unlikely to enter PAR. But PAGASA Weather Specialist Grace Castañeda said Krosa might enhance the southwest monsoon early next week, or during the last week of July. – Rappler.com

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