MikeLigalig.com

By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan

Still maintaining its strength, tropical storm "Helen" (international name: Kai-Tak) continues to threaten Northern Luzon and is expected to make landfall in Cagayan area on Wednesday morning, the state weather bureau said Tuesday.

Weather forecaster Robert Sawi of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that as of 10 a.m. Tuesday, "Helen" was estimated at 230 kilometers east-northeast of Casiguran, Aurora (16.8°N, 124.8°E).

Packing maximum winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph, it was forecast to move west-northwest at 13 kph.

Sawi said the storm is expected to make landfall in Cagayan Wednesday morning, be out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Thursday afternoon and heading toward Taiwan.

“Ini-expect natin na mag-landfall ito around 8 a.m. Wednesday, but there is another scenario, kung hindi ito mag-landfall, may dadaan na weather system o tinatawag na westerly trough... Once na matapat ito kay bagyong Helen, gagalaw ito ng northward and then balik ito westerly, then palabas ng bansa... We are still monitoring,” Sawi said.

He added that Helen has slim chance to turn into typhoon but it can gain strength since it is over the sea and become severe tropical storm.

As this developed, PAGASA raised public storm signal No. 2 over the provinces of Isabela, Apayao, Kalinga, Cagayan, Calayan, Babuyan and Batanes groups of islands.

The weather agency said these provinces are expected to experience 61 to 100 kph winds within the next 24 hours.

Public storm warning signal No. 1 (45-60 kph winds) is hoisted over Quirino, Aurora, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Benguet, Mt. Province, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte and Abra.

“Residents living in low-lying and mountainous areas under public storm warning signal Nos. 2 and 1 are alerted against possible flash floods and landslides. Likewise, those living in coastal areas under public storm warning No. 2 are alerted against big waves or storm surges generated by this tropical cyclone,” PAGASA said.

It said the storm is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon that will bring rains over Luzon and the Visayas, especially over the western section.

PAGASA said Helen carries about 15 to 25 millimeters of rains per hour (heavy-torrential) within its 500-kilometer diameter coverage. It added that intermittent light to moderate rains (2.5-7.5 mm/hr) are now affecting Central and Southern Luzon, becoming more frequent moderate to heavy rains (7.5-10.0 mm/hr) over Camarines provinces, Quezon, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Mindoro, Bataan, Zambales, Pangasinan, Tarlac and Metro Manila.

Fishing boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out into the seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon and Visayas due to Helen and the southwest monsoon.

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