'Jenny' becomes severe tropical storm, brings heavy rains

MANILA, Philippines — Cyclone Jenny (international name: Koinu) intensified into a severe tropical storm Sunday morning and will bring heavy rains to parts of Luzon and Visayas, state weather bureau PAGASA said. 

Jenny was last located 790 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City in Cagayan, with maximum sustained winds reaching 95 km per hour near the center and gusts up to 115 kph.

The severe tropical storm was moving west northwest at 15 kph.

According to PAGASA, Jenny will dump heavy rain of up to 25 millimeters over mainland Cagayan, Isabela, Quezon province including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar until Monday noon.

The cyclone will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon (habagat) and bring occasional to monsoon rains over the western portions of Central and Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in the next three days. 

PAGASA warned of possible flooding and rain-induced landslides, especially in areas identified as susceptible to these hazards, and in places that have received substantial rainfall over the past few days. 

The state weather agency may hoist wind signals over the northern tip of the Philippines in anticipation of severe winds. 

The enhanced southwest monsoon will also bring gusty conditions over MIMAROPA and Western Visayas until Monday. 

Jenny is expected to pass over the Bashi Channel between Batanes and the southern portion of Taiwan between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. 

But PAGASA noted that a landfall or close approach scenario over extreme Northern Luzon is still not ruled out, given that these scenarios are within the forecast confidence cone

Jenny may reach typhoon category by Monday.