MANILA, Philippines – The low pressure area (LPA) inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) developed into a tropical depression at 5 am on Monday, September 16.

It is the country’s seventh tropical cyclone for 2024, and was given the local name Gener.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Gener was located 315 kilometers east northeast of Casiguran, Aurora, as of 7 am on Monday.

The tropical depression is moving west northwest at only 10 kilometers per hour (km/h).

It has maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h and gustiness of up to 55 km/h.

Signal No. 1 has been raised in the following areas in Luzon as of 8 am on Monday, which means they will see strong winds from Gener:

• eastern and central parts of mainland Cagayan (Piat, Santo Niño, Camalaniugan, Tuao, Lal-lo, Enrile, Gonzaga, Alcala, Amulung, Santa Teresita, Baggao, Buguey, Solana, Rizal, Santa Ana, Tuguegarao City, Gattaran, Peñablanca, Iguig, Lasam, Aparri, Ballesteros, Allacapan, Abulug)
• Isabela
• Quirino
• eastern part of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castañeda, Kasibu, Dupax del Norte, Quezon, Diadi, Bayombong, Ambaguio, Bagabag, Villaverde, Aritao, Bambang, Dupax del Sur, Solano)
• eastern and southern parts of Apayao (Conner, Flora, Pudtol, Santa Marcela, Luna, Kabugao)
• Kalinga
• eastern and central parts of Mountain Province (Paracelis, Sadanga, Bontoc, Natonin, Sabangan, Barlig)
• Ifugao
• Aurora
• eastern part of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Pantabangan, Bongabon, Gabaldon, Laur, General Tinio, Rizal, General Mamerto Natividad, Palayan City)
• northern part of mainland Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta, Real) including Polillo Islands

PAGASA also warned that Gener is bringing moderate to intense rain, which may cause floods and landslides.

Monday morning, September 16, to Tuesday morning, September 17

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 millimeters): Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): rest of Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region

Tuesday morning, September 17, to Wednesday morning, September 18

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Apayao

Wednesday morning, September 18, to Thursday morning, September 19

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Apayao

The weather bureau expects Gener to make landfall in either Isabela or Aurora within 24 hours, or by Tuesday morning, September 17, at the latest. “Changes in intensity and track are likely while crossing Luzon,” added PAGASA.

On Wednesday, September 18, Gener may intensify into a tropical storm over the West Philippine Sea, then exit PAR.

Outside PAR, it could weaken back into a tropical depression before making landfall in Hainan, China, late Friday evening, September 20, or early Saturday morning, September 21.

Gener is also enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat, which is still causing rain. Below is PAGASA’s updated rainfall forecast for the enhanced southwest monsoon as of 8 am on Monday.

Monday morning, September 16, to Tuesday morning, September 17

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Aklan, Antique, Negros Occidental
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): rest of Mimaropa, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, rest of Western Visayas, rest of Negros Island Region

Tuesday morning, September 17, to Wednesday morning, September 18

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Aklan, Antique
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): rest of Mimaropa, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, rest of Western Visayas, Negros Island Region

Wednesday morning, September 18, to Thursday morning, September 19

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Occidental Mindoro
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Zambales, Bataan, rest of Mimaropa, Aklan, Antique

The rest of Luzon, rest of the Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Soccsksargen, Caraga, and Northern Mindanao also have scattered rain and thunderstorms on Monday due to the southwest monsoon. The rain will be moderate to at times heavy.

The rest of Mindanao will have isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, still due to the southwest monsoon. Thunderstorms can be severe.

Affected areas must stay on alert for flash floods and landslides.

The enhanced southwest monsoon will also bring strong to gale-force gusts to Mimaropa, Bicol, the Visayas, the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, and the Davao Region from Monday to Wednesday.

Still due to the enhanced southwest monsoon, PAGASA issued a gale warning at 5 am on Monday. Rough to very rough seas, with waves 3.7 to 4.5 meters high, are expected in the western and southern seaboards of Southern Luzon, the seaboards of the Visayas, and the western, northern, and eastern seaboards of Mindanao on Monday. Travel is risky for small vessels.

Outside of the gale warning, moderate to rough seas are also seen in the seaboards of Northern Luzon, the seaboards of Central Luzon, and the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon. Waves are 1.5 to 3.5 meters high, so small vessels should not venture out to sea.

The remaining seaboards of the Philippines will have up to moderate seas, with waves up to 2.5 meters high. The weather bureau advised small vessels to take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible.

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Aside from Gener and the enhanced southwest monsoon, PAGASA is monitoring Tropical Storm Pulasan, which is located outside PAR.

The weather bureau earlier said Pulasan may enter PAR around Tuesday evening, then exit PAR around Wednesday morning.

It would be given the local name Helen if it joins Gener inside PAR.

Pulasan’s track could be similar to that of Tropical Storm Ferdie (Bebinca), which only stayed inside PAR for several hours as it moved near the PAR northeastern boundary. Ferdie remained far from Philippine landmass, but it enhanced the southwest monsoon. – Rappler.com