As Lando (Koppu) left the Philippines landmass yesterday at around 5:00 PM, the said weather system had weakened into a Severe Tropical Storm (STS). However, according to PAGASA, its outer cloud bond will still bring heavy to intense rain showers.
According to the latest rainfall data from the weather bureau, areas in Northern Luzon have experienced a month’s worth of rainfall.
From October 19 to 20, Baguio City had 688 mms. of rainfall, more than its normal October average rainfall at 454.3 mm.
At 7:00 AM today, Lando was located at 100 kilometers northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte with maximum sustained winds of 95 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 120 kph. It is forecast to move northeast at 5 kph.
The current forecast track of PAGASA shows that Lando will exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Sunday.
Stormy weather will prevail in areas under Public Storm Warning Signals. In Metro Manila and rest of central Luzon, light to moderate rain showers are still expected. Meanwhile Visayas and Mindanao will experience improved weather conditions apart from isolated thunderstorms during the latter part of the day.
Lando walks
PAGASA says that Lando’s movement can be compared to the speed of a man walking. The High Pressure Area extending over the West Philippine Sea and Eastern Pacific is the reason for its slow movement. These weather systems are anti-cyclonic, preventing Lando from moving northward.
Lando (Koppu) remains under Typhoon category while battering Northern Luzon. After making landfall in Casiguran, Aurora last Saturday, Lando is now in the vicinity of Santiago, Ilocos Sur. Because of the mountainous terrain of Cordillera, it has slightly weakened with maximum sustained winds of 120 kph, and gustiness of 150 kph, moving north-northeast at 5 kph.
PAGASA Weather Forecaster Chris Perez said that the High Pressure Area extending over the West Philippine Sea and Eastern Pacific is preventing Lando from moving northward. Typhoon Champi, which is outside the Philippine boundary, has greatly affected its movement. The current forecast track shows that Lando will exit the Philippine landmass on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, due to bad weather, venturing out into the sea is not allowed under areas with Public Storm Warning Signals and gale warnings.
Today, stormy weather is expected in the Cordillera region, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, La Union, Cagayan, including the Calayan and Babuyan group of islands. Meanwhile, rains and damaging winds will continue to be experienced in Pangasinan, Zambales, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Aurora, the rest of Cagayan valley, and Metro Manila.
Cloudy skies with light to moderate rains will be experienced in Western Visayas, the Zamboanga Peninsula, and the rest of Luzon.
Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms will prevail in the rest of the country.
#WalangPasok
Due to bad weather brought by the typhoon, classes were suspended mostly in Luzon today.
Lando (international name: Koppu) has slowed down while moving towards Isabela-Aurora area. PAGASA Weather Forecaster Samuel Duran said that the High Pressure Area (HPA) in the West Philippine Sea is blocking Lando (Koppu). Because of this, Lando (Koppu) has no definite date of leaving Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
As of 12:00 NN, the center of typhoon Lando (Koppu) was located at 260 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora with maximum winds of 160 kph and gustiness of about 195 kph, moving west at 10 kph.
The forecast tracks of PAGASA and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) suggest that Lando (Koppu) is expected to make landfall over the Isabela-Aurora area tomorrow morning, and will move northward after its landfall activity.
Duran said that the landfall activity could weaken Lando (Koppu), but it will still remain under typhoon category. The weather disturbance is expected to exit landmass through Ilocos Norte on Wednesday.
Public Storm Warning Signals (PSWS)
Areas under PSWS #2 and #3 are prone to storm surges. Storm surge is the abnormal rise of sea level along the coast caused by the onshore winds of a storm.
Luzon Flood Prone Areas
Apart from areas under PSWS, the outer cloud band of LandO (Koppu) will bring moderate to heavy rain showers. Floods threaten Luzon especially those in low-lying areas.
Weather Today
The Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera and the provinces of Aurora, Nueva Ecija, and Polillo Islands will experience stormy weather brought by Lando (Koppu).
Rains and gusty winds will be experienced in Metro Manila, the Bicol Region, the rest of Central Luzon and CALABARZON, while Visayas and the rest of Luzon will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers. Generally good weather will prevail in Mindanao.