'Gener' to exit PAR within 24 hours

MANILA – Tropical Depression Gener is crossing the Cordillera Region and is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) within 24 hours, the weather bureau said Tuesday.

"After 24 hours, nakikita natin na nasa labas na ng PAR o posibleng nasa labas na ng PAR itong si Bagyong Gener, 500 kilometers kanluran ng Dagupan City, Pangasinan, and after 48 hours, 925 kilometers, kanluran ng Northern Luzon, so papalayo na ito sa land mass ng ating bansa (we see that Gener is already outside the PAR or possibly outside the PAR, 500 kilometers west of Dagupan City, Pangasinan, and after 48 hours, 925 kilometers, west of Northern Luzon, so it is moving away from the land mass of our country)," weather specialist Veronica Torres of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a press briefing.

She said as of 10 a.m., the center of Gener is in the vicinity of Kibungan, Benguet.

It is packed with maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and wind gusts of up to 55 kph.

Gener is moving westward at 15 kph.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 is raised over Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and Pampanga.

Storm signals in Metro Manila have been lifted.

Minimal to minor impacts from strong winds are possible within any of the areas under Signal No. 1.

On Tuesday, Gener and the enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat) will bring heavy to intense rains (100-200 mm) over the provinces of Cagayan, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Abra, Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Aklan, Antique and Negros Occidental.

Moderate to heavy rains (50-100 mm) are expected over the rest of Cordillera, the rest of Cagayan Valley and Ilocos region, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Quezon, Rizal, Aurora, Bicol Region, Zamboanga del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, the rest of Mimaropa, Western Visayas and Negros Island Region.

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon enhanced by Gener and Tropical Storm Pulasan, which remained outside PAR, will also bring strong to gale-force gusts over Batanes province, Mimaropa and Bicol Regions, Visayas, and Mindanao on Tuesday, including the coastal and upland areas exposed to winds. (PNA)