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MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Nimfa remains almost stationary over the northern part of the Philippine Sea, while the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat is bringing rain.

In a briefing past 11 am on Wednesday, September 18, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Nimfa is 685 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes, barely moving.

Nimfa continues to have maximum winds of 55 kilometers per hour (km/h) and gustiness of up to 70 km/h. But it could intensify into a tropical storm while inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

Nimfa is not expected to make landfall in the country, and there are no areas under tropical cyclone wind signals.

“Hindi po natin nakikita na ‘yung diametro nito ay mahahagip ho ang anumang bahagi ng ating landmass, although sa ngayon, na-e-enhance o napapalakas pa lalo nito ang habagat o southwest monsoon na siya pong nagbibigay ng paulan ngayon sa malaking bahagi ng Luzon,” said PAGASA Weather Specialist Loriedin de la Cruz in the briefing.

(We don’t expect Nimfa to graze any part of our landmass, although now, it’s enhancing or strengthening the southwest monsoon which is currently causing rain in much of Luzon.)

Below is the latest on the expected rainfall.

Wednesday morning, September 18, until Thursday morning, September 19

• Frequent light to moderate rain with occasional heavy rain
• Pangasinan
• Zambales
• Bataan
• Occidental Mindoro
• Romblon
• northern part of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo islands
• Aklan
• Antique
• Iloilo
• Guimaras
• Occasional light to moderate rain with intermittent heavy rainshowers
• Metro Manila
• Calabarzon
• Batanes
• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Ilocos Norte
• Apayao
• rest of Central Luzon
• rest of Mimaropa
• Scattered rain and isolated thunderstorms
• rest of Luzon
• rest of Western Visayas

PAGASA warned that flash floods and landslides are possible. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Classes were suspended in some areas for Wednesday. (READ: #WalangPasok: Class suspensions, Wednesday, September 18, 2019)

Travel is also risky in the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon, with rough to very rough sea conditions. Most of the other seaboards of the country will remain moderate to rough, said PAGASA.

Based on Nimfa’s latest forecast track, it will leave PAR on Saturday, September 21.

Meanwhile, the low pressure area (LPA) that forecasters have been monitoring is still in the vicinity of Mayantoc, Tarlac.

PAGASA said the LPA is expected to merge with Nimfa’s trough within 48 hours.

Nimfa is the Philippines’ 14th tropical cyclone for 2019, and the 4th in September. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2019)

The country gets an average of 20 tropical cyclones annually, but since 2019 is an El Niño year, only 14 to 18 tropical cyclones are expected.

Below is the estimated number of tropical cyclones from September to December:

• September – 2 to 4
• October – 2 or 3
• November – 1 or 2
• December – 0 or 1

PAGASA declared the start of the rainy season last June 14. – Rappler.com