LPA now Tropical Depression Igme; Batanes under Signal No. 1
MANILA, Philippines – The low pressure area (LPA) that formed inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) early Friday, September 20, developed into a tropical depression at 2 pm on the same day.
Its local name is Igme, as the country’s ninth tropical cyclone for 2024. It is also the fifth tropical cyclone for September alone.
In a briefing past 5 pm on Friday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Igme was located 530 kilometers east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes.
The tropical depression is moving northwest at 15 kilometers per hour (km/h).
It has maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h and gustiness of up to 70 km/h.
Igme is not expected to make landfall in any part of the Philippines, but the tropical depression will be felt in the northern provinces of Batanes and Cagayan.
Signal No. 1 has been raised for Batanes, which means the province can expect strong winds from Igme.
PAGASA also issued this rainfall forecast for the tropical depression:
Friday afternoon, September 20, to Saturday afternoon, September 21
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 millimeters): Batanes
Saturday afternoon, September 21, to Sunday afternoon, September 22
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Batanes
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
PAGASA said Igme could make landfall in Taiwan, which is within PAR.
The tropical depression may leave PAR by Sunday, September 22, then gradually weaken back into an LPA by early Monday morning, September 23.
Igme is also enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat, which will continue to trigger rain in the following areas:
Friday afternoon, September 20, to Saturday afternoon, September 21
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Zambales
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Ilocos Region, Babuyan Islands, Bataan
Saturday afternoon, September 21, to Sunday afternoon, September 22
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan
In other parts of Luzon and the Visayas, scattered rain and thunderstorms will persist, still due to the enhanced southwest monsoon.
The enhanced southwest monsoon will bring strong to gale-force gusts to these areas as well:
Friday, September 20
- Ilocos Region, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Zambales, Bataan
Saturday, September 21
- Ilocos Region, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Zambales, Bataan
Sunday, September 22
- Ilocos Region, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Zambales
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For coastal waters in the next 24 hours, PAGASA warned of moderate to rough seas in the seaboards of Northern Luzon and Central Luzon, as well as the western seaboard of Southern Luzon (waves 1.5 to 3.5 meters high). Small vessels should not venture out to sea.
The remaining seaboards of the Philippines will have up to moderate seas (waves up to 2 meters high). The weather bureau advised small vessels to take precautionary measures or to avoid sailing, if possible. – Rappler.com