MANILA, Philippines — The low pressure area which developed into a tropical depression Friday evening has no direct effect on the Philippines, but it is slightly enhancing the southwest monsoon and bringing rains in portions of Luzon, state weather bureau PAGASA said Saturday.
“Sa ngayon po ay hindi na directly nakakaapekto itong si bagyong Igme sa ating bansa, subalit pinapa-enhance nito slightly ang habagat or southwest monsoon. Ito ay nagdadala ng mga pag-ulan dito sa ilang bahagi ng Luzon,” weather specialist Benison Estareja said during PAGASA’s 5:00 a.m. press briefing on Saturday.
As of 3:00 a.m. Saturday, "Igme" was last spotted 285 kilometers northeast of Basco in Batanes, moving northwards at 15 kilometers per hour. It packed maximum winds of 55 kph and gustiness of up to 70 kph.
The tropical depression is projected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Saturday evening and is expected to intensify into a tropical storm by early Sunday morning.
No tropical cyclone wind signals have been issued in any part of the country, but a gale warning is in effect in Batanes and the Babuyan Islands where tall waves are expected.
Batanes and the Babuyan Islands will experience moderate to heavy rains and possibly intermittent gusts.
The southwest monsoon, meanwhile, will bring light to moderate with at times heavy rains over Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, northern mainland Cagayan, Zambales and Bataan.