MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Chedeng (Guchol) began to weaken on Saturday evening, June 10, but it is enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat, which is dumping rain in the western parts of Luzon and the Visayas.

In a bulletin issued at 11 pm on Saturday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Chedeng’s maximum sustained winds are down to 140 km/h from the previous 150 km/h.

The typhoon’s gustiness decreased to 170 km/h from 185 km/h.

PAGASA sees Chedeng getting downgraded to a severe tropical storm within 36 hours.

On Saturday evening, the typhoon was located 910 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon, moving north northeast at 15 km/h and remaining far from the country’s landmass.

It is expected to accelerate north northeast or northeast and leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Sunday evening, June 11, or early Monday morning, June 12.

While Chedeng is not bringing rain and there are no tropical cyclone wind signals in effect, it may keep causing moderate to rough seas in the seaboards of extreme Northern Luzon on Sunday.

PAGASA advised small vessels to take precautionary measures as waves could be 2 to 3 meters high.

In a separate advisory on the enhanced southwest monsoon at 11 pm on Saturday, PAGASA warned of heavy rain in the next three days. Floods and landslides are possible.

Saturday night, June 10, to Sunday night, June 11

• 100-200 millimeters (mm): Zambales, Bataan
• 50-100 mm: Pangasinan, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Occidental Mindoro, northern part of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Islands, Antique

Sunday night, June 11, to Monday night, June 12

• 100-200 mm: Zambales, Bataan
• 50-100 mm: Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, Occidental Mindoro, northern part of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo Islands

Monday night, June 12, to Tuesday night, June 13

• 50-100 mm: Ilocos Region, Apayao, Abra, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro

The southwest monsoon may also bring gusts, or sudden and strong winds, to these areas:

Sunday, June 11

• Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Northern Samar

Monday, June 12

• Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Marinduque, northern mainland Palawan, Calamian Islands, Cuyo Islands, Kalayaan Islands, Bicol, Western Visayas

Tuesday, June 13

• Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, Kalayaan Islands, Semirara Island

Chedeng is the Philippines’ third tropical cyclone for 2023 and the first for June. PAGASA earlier estimated there would be one or two tropical cyclones during the month.

The weather bureau announced the start of the rainy season on June 2. – Rappler.com