The southwest monsoon or "habagat" remains the prevailing weather system across the country as tropical storm "Huaning" (international name "Lupit") has no direct effect on the Philippines.
As of 10 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 7, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said storm Huaning was in the vicinity of Hsinchu City, Taiwan or 465 kilometers (km) north of Itbayat, Batanes.
It has maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 110 kph while moving east-southeast at 15 kph.
It may remain a tropical storm throughout the forecast period. However, PAGASA said the possibility that the storm will weaken into a tropical depression while traversing Taiwan is not ruled out at this time.
Based on its forecast track, PAGASA said Huaning will likely leave the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) Saturday afternoon or evening.
Weather specialist Ariel Rojas said Huaning is unlikely to bring heavy rains over the country but may continue to enhance the southwest monsoon.
"The latest forecast scenario for Huaning shows that the hoisting of tropical cyclone wind signals over any land area in the country is unlikely. However, the southwest monsoon that it enhances will bring gusty conditions over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Apayao, and Abra," he said.
In the next 24 hours, the storm-enhanced habagat will cause rough to very rough seas
over the northern and western seaboards of Luzon.
"Sea travel is risky for small seacrafts over these waters (while) mariners without proper experience should immediately seek safe harbor," PAGASA advised.