Tropical Storm Pilandok has finally left Philippine skies, but the rain it helped summon has not. The storm exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility early Thursday, leaving the southwest monsoon, or Habagat, as the system still drenching western Luzon.
Pilandok exits PAR
PAGASA said Pilandok, with international name Krovanh, left the PAR at 4:30 a.m. Thursday, last spotted about 1,030 kilometers east-northeast of extreme Northern Luzon carrying maximum sustained winds of 75 kph and gusts of up to 90 kph.
The storm is moving northwestward toward southern Japan and is no longer directly affecting the country, with PAGASA saying it is unlikely to re-enter the PAR. Forecasters expect Pilandok to remain a tropical storm while it loops near the Okinawa-Amami islands over the weekend before turning away.
The Habagat is the real story now
With the cyclone gone, the southwest monsoon is the main weather system affecting the country, and it is being reinforced by Tropical Storm Saudel (formerly Obet) and a low-pressure area monitored over the Philippine Sea.
PAGASA expects moderate to heavy rains over the western section of Luzon on Thursday, with the rain shifting toward Central Luzon and the western parts of Southern Luzon and Panay by the weekend. Flooding and landslides remain possible, especially in areas that have already absorbed days of monsoon rain.
Rain totals and which areas to watch
- Up to 100 mm may fall in parts of Ilocos Norte, Abra, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Benguet, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan and Occidental Mindoro.
- By Saturday, 100 to 200 mm is possible across the southwestern portion of Luzon.
A gale warning is up over the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon, where rough seas of up to 4.5 meters are expected. Small seacraft are advised to stay off the water.
What the storm left behind
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| Storm name | Tropical Storm Pilandok (Krovanh) |
| Status | Exited PAR at 4:30 a.m. Thursday |
| Peak winds | 75 kph, gusts up to 90 kph |
| Position | About 1,030 km ENE of extreme Northern Luzon |
| Track | Northwest toward southern Japan |
| Direct impact on PH | None; unlikely to re-enter PAR |
The weakening system had earlier formed as August’s fifth cyclone and pulled the Habagat over Luzon, a spell that has already forced class suspensions across parts of the region in recent days.
