MANILA - Weather disturbance Falcon (international name: Khanun) intensified further and is now in the typhoon category, the state weather bureau said late Sunday.

In its 11 p.m. weather bulletin, PAGASA said Falcon was last located 1,090 kilometers east of extreme northern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of up to 140 kilometers per hour near the center, with gusts of up to 170 kph.

It is currently moving north northwestward at 15 kph, and is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility between Monday night to Tuesday morning.

No tropical cyclone wind signals have been raised, but PAGASA said Falcon continues to enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat, which will bring occasional to monsoon rains over the western portions of Luzon and Visayas in the next three days.

PAGASA also warned of flooding and rain-induced landslides in flood and landslide prone areas.

"Forecast rainfall are generally higher in elevated or mountainous areas. Under these conditions, flooding and rain-induced landslides are expected especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazard as identified in hazard maps and in localities that experienced considerable amounts of rainfall for the past several days," it said

The Falcon-enhanced habagat is also expected to bring gusty conditions over Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Lubang Island, Kalayaan Islands, Cuyo Islands, Romblon, the northwestern portion of Antique, Camarines Sur, and Albay.

A gale warning remained hoisted over several coastal waters in the western seaboard of Luzon, due to the enhanced habagat.

“Sea travel is risky for small seacrafts. For larger vessels, operating in gale conditions requires experience and properly equipped vessels,” PAGASA warned.

Falcon is expected to continue moving north northwestward, before turning north westward on Monday. It is also expected to steadily intensify within the next three days, and may reach peak intensity on Wednesday while over the East China Sea.

PAGASA earlier said Luzon, including Metro Manila, will still be rainy for most of the week, with conditions improving towards the weekend.

Visayas and MIndanao, on the other hand, will be mostly sunny and warm with chances of localized thunderstorm in the afternoon of evening.

The western Ilocos region, Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, western Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, and northern Palawan may also experience monsoon rains until Thursday.

Visit the ABS-CBN Weather Center for more updates.

RELATED VIDEO

Watch more News on iWantTFC