Friday, September 14, 2012

Philippine Typhoon Karen Hits Luzon and Visayas

Typhoon "Karen" has maintained its strength as it continue to enhance the southwest monsoon (habagat) that will bring rains over Luzon and Visayas, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

PAGASA said that as of 10 a.m. Friday, the eye of typhoon Karen was located at 740 km East of Aparri, Cagayan (18.5°N,129.6°E) with maximum sustained winds of 185 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 220 kph.

The weather bureau said that Karen continues to traverse the East Philippine Sea in a North Northwest direction at 15 kph is expected to be at 770 km East of Southern Taiwan by Saturday morning and at 600 km East of Northern Taiwan by Sunday morning.

PAGASA said rainfall amount within the 550-km diameter of the typhoon is from 15 to 30 millimeters per hour (heavy-intense).

Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out over the eastern seaboard of the country due to strong winds generated by typhoon Karen.

Weather forecaster Lenny Ruiz said that although Karen is not expected to make landfall in any part of the country, it will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon that will bring light to moderate rains over Metro Manila and occasional moderate to heavy rains over CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), MIMAROPA (Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon and Palawan) and Western Visayas.

He said that no storm warning signals have been raised so far since it is too far away to directly affect the country.

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