TS Helen enhances habagat, bringing heavy rains nationwide

Tropical Storm Helen has intensified the southwest monsoon (habagat), bringing strong gusts and heavy to intense rains to several regions across the Philippines.

The enhanced habagat, fueled by both Helen and the now-departed Tropical Depression Gener, will continue to affect various areas including Luzon and parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.

Areas like Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Zambales, and Bataan are expected to experience heavy to intense rainfall in the next 24 hours, with moderate to heavy rains in Metro Manila, Pangasinan, Batangas, Cavite, and the rest of Mimaropa.

Pagasa has issued a gale warning, making sea travel risky for small seacraft along the western seaboards of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, and Visayas.

Flooding and rain-induced landslides are expected, especially in highly susceptible areas.

Tropical Storm Helen was located 1,060 kms east northeast of extreme northern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of 85 kph and gustiness of up to 105 kph.

The storm is moving northwestward at 25 kph and is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Wednesday afternoon or evening without directly hitting the country's landmass.