Handout/PAGASA 

MANILA - Tropical storm Pulasan has entered the Philippine area of responsibility and has been assigned the local name “Helen”, the state weather bureau said late Tuesday.

As of 10 p.m., Helen was located 1,290 kilometers east of extreme northern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hours near the center, with gusts of up to 105 kph.

It is expected to remain far from land and will not directly affect the country, but is enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat.

Tropical depression Gener, meanwhile, has maintained its strength as it is about to exit PAR.

As of 10 p.m., Gener was located 355 kilometers west of Bacnotan, La Union, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center, with gusts of up to 70 kph.

PAGASA has lifted all tropical cyclone warning signals, but warned of heavy rains due to the habagat enhanced by Gener and Helen.

Moderate to heavy rains are expected over Metro Manila, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Ilocos Region, Calabarzon, Cordillera Administrative Region, Zambales, Bataan and Pangasinan from Tuesday night until Friday evening.

Heavy to intense rains are also expected over Palawan, Occidental Mindoro and Antique until Wednesday evening.

According to PAGASA, Helen is forecast to move generally west northwestward within the next 48 hours. It may exit PAR Wednesday afternoon. It is also expected to remain as a tropical storm and may gradually weaken over the East China Sea.

Gener, on the other hand, may exit PAR between late Tuesday and early Wednesday. Outside PAR, it will continue moving westward over the West Philippine Sea.