Severe Tropical Storm (STS) Falcon has maintained its strength and is forecasted to develop into a typhoon on Sunday evening or Monday, according to the latest bulletin issued by PAGASA on Sunday, July 30.
STS Falcon, also known by its international name Khanun, was last spotted 1,180 kilometers East of Northern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph.
It is moving north-northwestward at the speed of 15 kph and may turn northwestward on Monday.
According to PAGASA, STS Falcon may leave the country’s area of responsibility by Monday evening or Tuesday morning.
Once it is outside on Tuesday morning, Falcon may pass close to Okinawa Islands in the Ryukyu Archipelago before it enters the East China Sea.
No Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) is hoisted at any part of the country due to Falcon.
Meanwhile, the state weather bureau said Falcon is continuously enhancing the Southwest Monsoon or habagat, bringing occasional monsoon rains over the western portions of Luzon and Visayas in the next consecutive days.
“Forecast rainfall are generally higher in elevated or mountainous areas. Under these conditions, flooding and rain-induced landslides are expected especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazard as identified in hazard maps and in localities that experienced considerable amounts of rainfall for the past several days,” PAGASA warned.
A gale warning is raised over the western seaboards of Luzon which means sea travels for small seacrafts are not advisable due to the risks.
"For larger vessels, operating in gale conditions requires experience and properly equipped vessels. Mariners without proper experience or operating ill-equipped vessels are advised to remain in port or seek safe harbor," it said.
