TD Egay maintains strength, moves slowly over PH sea
Published Jul 21, 2023 04:29 pm
Tropical depression Egay maintained its strength while moving slowly over the Philippine Sea east of southeastern Luzon on Friday evening, July 21, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
In its 11 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Egay maintained its maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 70 kph.
Its center was estimated at 825 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon as of 10 p.m.
As it remains almost stationary over the Philippine sea, PAGASA said Egay may strengthen into a tropical storm on Saturday, July 22, and then into a super typhoon by Tuesday, July 25.
“While the current track forecast shows a mainly offshore track, the forecast confidence cone indicates that a landfall scenario over the northern portion of Northern Luzon is not ruled out at this time,” PAGASA said.
It pointed out that Egay’s disorganized circulation may affect its track in the coming days.
(PAGASA)
(PAGASA)
Heavy rains, strong winds due to Egay, ‘habagat’
Due to tropical depression Egay, PAGASA warned that Catanduanes and Northern Samar may experience heavy rains between Sunday evening and Monday evening. It may also enhance the effect of the southeast monsoon, or “habagat,” which may occasionally bring rains to the western parts of Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, and Western Visayas during the forecast period. “Forecast rainfall is generally higher in elevated or mountainous areas. Under these conditions, flooding and rain-induced landslides are possible, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps and in localities that experienced considerable amounts of rainfall for the past several days,” PAGASA warned. Moreover, in anticipation of “strong breeze to near-gale conditions associated with the tropical depression,” wind signals may be hoisted over some areas in Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas as early as Saturday. The western sections of Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao may also experience gusty conditions in the coming days due to the enhanced habagat. PAGASA warned that Egay may also cause moderate to rough seas over the eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It advised mariners of small seacraft to exercise caution when heading out to sea. “If inexperienced or operating ill-equipped vessels, avoid navigating in these conditions,” it said.