Last October 18 2015, Tropical Cyclone Lando (Koppu) brought heavy to intense rain showers in Luzon as it traversed slowly towards Northern Luzon—just in time when water levels in the region’s major reservoirs were threatened because of the El Niño.
Yearly, an average of 18 to 20 tropical cyclones enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), and 50% of our water supply come from rain showers brought mostly by these weather disturbances.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) together with other international meteorological agency, El Niño phenomenon happened in 1997 is being considered as the worst El Niño event where damage in farmlands reached P3 billion.
Before Lando, the Angat dam has been struggling with relatively low water levels since March that had eventually led to a decreased water supply in Metro Manila.
Today, as the Angat dam finally regains normal water levels, the National Water Resources Board continues to implement the proper allocation for water concessionaires to be able secure water supply until the next dry season.
Dam Data
Here’s a quick look at Luzon’s Major Dams:
Angat Dam – Situated in Norzagaray in Bulacan, it supplies water to farmlands in Pampanga and some parts of Bulacan, and is a power source of the Luzon grid. Metro Manila and Bulacan residents also get their water supply from here. During the rainy season, the flood season water level of Angat Dam is at 210 meters, while the dry season normal high water level is at 212 meters.
Ipo and La Mesa Dams – These dams are part of the Angat-Ipo-Lamesa water system. Located in Norzagaray, Bulacan, the Ipo dam water is diverted to the Novaliches portal and the La Mesa dam. The latter is situated in Fairview, Quezon City. Its main purpose is to provide water for domestic use in Greater Metro Manila.
Ambuklao Dam – Found in the mountains of Bokod, Benguet, this was designed to provide 75 MW (megawatts) of energy to the Luzon grid. Water level in Ambuklao dam also varies depending on the season. The normal high water level during dry season is at 750 meters while the flood season water level during rainy season is at 752 meters.
Binga Dam – Found in the province of Itogon in Benguet, this dam forms an impoundment on the Agno River. It’s also a hydroelectric plant that supplies power generation to nearby provinces. Binga dam maintains a 575-meter level regardless of the season.
San Roque Dam – Spanning from San Manuel and San Nicolas in Pangasinan, this is among the largest dams in the Philippines. Connected to the Tarlac River through the Agno River, the San Roque dam provides irrigation to San Manuel, Asingan, Sta. Barbara, Binalonan, Urdaneta City, Villasis, Calasiao, Mapandan, Manaoag, Mangaldan, Laoac and Malasiqui. It also supplies power generation to Luzon grid. Normal water level in San Roque dam is at 280 meters.
Magat Dam – Magat dam rests in the province of Isabela, and is located specifically in the Magat River, considered the largest tributary of the Cagayan River. As one of the largest dams in the Philippines, its primary purposes are providing irrigation and hydroelectric power to 85,000 hectares of agricultural lands in the Cagayan Valley and other parts of the Isabela province.
Caliraya Dam – Positioned along the Caliraya River in Lumban, Laguna, and this dam utilizes water in the Caliraya River Basin. The power generated from the Caliraya Hydroelectric Plant is intended for the Manila power market.
As Severe Tropical Storm Lando (international name: Koppu) slowly traversed the landmass over Central and Northern Luzon, it brought the water needed to fill our dams.
According to PAGASA Hydrologist Edgar Dela Cruz, the rains brought by Lando should also be considered a blessing. The storm’s almost stationary movement and the amount of rainfall it produced allowed our dams to recover their water supply—so much so that some areas in Luzon are expected to survive the effects of El Niño, including droughts and dry spells, which may be experienced next month.
Meanwhile, the rains have also caused flooding. Dela Cruz said that though PAGASA has yet to receive data in areas where dam gates were opened, he is confident that the residents near the dams were given sufficient warning against the floods. The good news is that there were no casualties reported in these areas.
PAGASA is still monitoring Lando’s movement, which was forecast to exit landmass tomorrow, October 20. Its speed is maintained at 5 kilometers per hour in a north- northwest direction, and has sustained maximum winds up to 105 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 135 kilometers per hour.
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.
After making landfall in Casiguran, Aurora at around 1:00 AM today, Typhoon “Lando” remains almost stationary over the said area. As of 4:00 AM, it was located in the vicinity of Casiguran. Lando has slightly weakened, now with maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 210 kilometers per hour. It slowly moves west at 3 kilometers per hour.
According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Gener Quitlong, Lando may linger in the landmass until it exits through Cagayan by Wednesday or Thursday. Quitlong says the presence of the High Pressure Area in the north and the Typhoon “Champi” outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) continues to influence its movement, making it move slowly.
He clarifies that Lando could no longer intensify into a Super Typhoon due to its interaction with the land, where there is an inadequate amount of water vapor or moisture. However, all are still advised to monitor updates from the weather bureau.
As Lando continues to traverse our boundary, Public Storm Warning Signals are still up over most parts of Luzon.
Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera, Central Luzon and the provinces of Rizal and Quezon including Polillo Island should brace against stormy weather. Rains with gusty winds will prevail in the Ilocos Region, the rest of CALABARZON and the provinces of Marinduque, Camarines Norte and the northern part of Mindoro, including Lubang islands.
Meanwhile, cloudy skies with light to moderate rains will be experienced in Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and the rest of Luzon. The rest of Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms.
Winds associated with Lando will trigger rough to very rough sea conditions in the seaboards of Luzon and Visayas, and the northern and eastern seaboards of Mindanao. With wave height reaching up to 3.4 to 4.5 meters and wind force ranging from 52 to 68 kilometers per hour, sea travel is be risky for fishing boats and other small seacraft.
On the other hand, Typhoon Champi remains outside the PAR, at approximately 2,020 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora carrying winds of up to 150 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 185 kilometers per hour. Quitlong says it has a slim chance of entering our boundary.
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.
Typhoon Lando continuously gains strength in the East Philippine Sea with maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 160 kilometers per hour. With its westward movement at 15 kilometers per hour, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Aldczar Aurelio says it may hit Isabela tomorrow evening or Sunday morning. Lando is expected to bring heavy to intense rainfall within the 550-kilometer diameter of the typhoon, which includes Northern and Central Luzon.
PAGASA raised Public Storm Warning Signal Numbers 1 and 2 over several areas in Luzon. The weather bureau monitors the movement of Lando towards the landmass of the Isabela-Aurora areas, which was alerted against rains with gusty winds in the next few hours.
Aurelio added that the slow movement of Lando is caused by the Fujiwhara effect of Tropical Storm Champi, which was last located outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility. Though Champi will not enter our boundary, as it moves northwards, it pulls Lando southwards. This causes Lando to stay longer in our boundary, possibly until Thursday.
Aurelio also said that this Sunday or Monday, a Ridge of High Pressure Area may block Lando from the West Philippine Sea, and may cause it to recurve northward.
Gale warning is still raised over the northern seaboard of Northern Luzon, and the eastern seaboards of Visayas. Venturing into these rough to very rough sea conditions might be dangerous for fishing boats and other small seacraft.
From a severe Tropical Storm, “Lando” has intensified into a Typhoon, now with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 150 kilometers per hour. Moving west at 15 kilometers per hour, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Glaiza Escullar says it may hit Isabela tomorrow evening or Sunday morning. Heavy to intense rainfall associated with Lando is expected within the 550 kilometer-diameter of the typhoon.
As Lando nears the landmass, Public Storm Warning Signal number 1 was hoisted in several areas in Luzon. These areas are alerted against rains with gusty winds in the next few hours.
Meanwhile, the Northeast Monsoon still prevails, affecting Northern and Central Luzon. Locally known as “amihan”, this will possibly bring cloudy skies with light rains in Metro Manila, and the regions of Cordillera, Ilocos and Central Luzon. Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas and the provinces of Aurora, Rizal and Quezon are advised to monitor updates as light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms may occur. The rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms.
Due to the combined effect of the amihan and Lando, rough to very rough sea conditions are expected in the northern and western seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon, and the eastern seaboard of Visayas. With wind force ranging from 52 to 63 kilometers per hour and wave height reaching 3.4 to 4.5 meters, sea travel is risky for small seacraft.
On the other hand, severe tropical storm “Champi” remains outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and is now estimated at more than 2,000 kilometers east of Luzon. According to Escullar, as of now, it has a slim chance of entering our boundary but may come closer to the corner of the PAR before re-curving towards the southern part of Japan. Escullar added that PAGASA considers Champi as one of the factors affecting the movement of Lando.
Did you know?
Despite the fact that a Tropical Cyclone may bring hazards, it also has its benefits. About 50% of water in our dams and reservoirs comes from the cyclones that enter the PAR. These dams supply water to our households.
Angat Dam, which is reported to have below-normal water level during this season,badly needs to be replenished with rainfall. Escullar says two consecutive days of moderate to heavy rains are needed to manage the dam’s water level.
Rains to be dumped by Lando could increase its water level, helping the residents of Metro Manila and nearby provinces to cope with the impending effects of the strong El Niño.
Rains brought by cyclones can also help farmers with their irrigation, especially those who are affected by dry conditions, dry spells and droughst. Aside from these, cyclones also clean the air and lessen the pollution.
At around 2 PM yesterday, the Tropical Storm with international name “Koppu” has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and was given a local name “Lando. At 10 AM today, it was estimated at 1,055 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora with maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 90 kilometers per hour.
Lando continues to move westward at 17 kilometers per hour. According to PAGASA, if it maintains speed and direction, it may make landfall over the Cagayan-Isabela area this Sunday.
PAGASA Weather Forecaster Jun Galang clarifiesthat Lando has no direct effect yet on any part of the country. However, public storm warning signals could be hoisted in the next few days as the tropical storm nears the landmass.
Meanwhile, the Northeast Monsoon or Hanging Amihan prevails and affects Northern and Central Luzon. Cloudy skies with light rains will be experienced in Cordillera, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon. Meanwhile, light to moderate rains are forecast in Metro Manila, Bicol Region and the provinces of Rizal, Quezon and Samar. The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms.
Aside from the light rains, gale warning is up in the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon. Rough to very rough sea conditions are expected in the mentioned areas.
Another tropical storm was spotted outside the PAR, with the international name “Champi”. As of now, it is still too far, estimated at more than 3,000 kilometers east of Northern Luzon. Galang says it is moving westward but may also re-curve northward or move closer to the corner of PAR in the coming days. All are still advised to monitor updates and further development.
The tropical depression outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) was last located at 2,535 kms, east of Luzon with maximum winds of 45 kph near the center. If the weather disturbance continues to move west-northwest at 25 kph, it is expected to enter PAR tomorrow evening or on Thursday morning.
PAGASA Weather Forecaster Jori Loiz said that it will be named “Lando” upon entering Philippine boundary.
Forecast Track
The weather bureau is now considering two possible scenarios. First, the cyclone could move upward and will spare the Philippine landmass from landfall activity. Second, if the high pressure area remains persistent, the cyclone will make landfall in the northern part of Luzon.
Whatever the outcome, the tropical depression will definitely bring rain showers in most parts of Northern Luzon.
Weather today
Today, the tail end of a cold front is affecting the extreme Northern Luzon. This will bring light to moderate rain showers in the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon and over the islands of Batanes, Calayan and Babuyan.
The rest of the country will have generally good weather apart from isolated rains and thunderstorms.
