A tropical storm outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) may enter the country’s monitoring area by late Saturday or early Sunday, but is expected to weaken as it approaches the Philippine Sea, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
In its Friday morning weather briefing, PAGASA said Tropical Storm “Hagupit” was last spotted 1,615 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao. The weather disturbance currently packs maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 90 kph while moving west-northwestward at 20 kph. PAGASA forecaster Lian Loreto said the storm is forecast to maintain its west-northwestward movement and is expected to remain under the tropical storm category at its strongest. However, once it enters PAR — where it will be given the local name “Caloy” — the cyclone is expected to weaken due to unfavorable weather conditions over the Philippine Sea. “Pagpasok ng ating PAR, ang nakikita natin sa ngayon ay hihina po itong bagyong ito,” Loreto said. PAGASA added that Hagupit could weaken into a tropical depression or possibly dissipate into a low pressure area before significantly affecting land areas. Despite the weakening trend, the weather bureau warned that the system may still bring rains and cloudy skies over the eastern sections of the Visayas and Southern Luzon from Monday to Tuesday. Meanwhile, the low pressure area previously being monitored inside PAR dissipated Thursday evening, but easterlies or warm winds from the Pacific Ocean continue to affect large parts of the country. The easterlies are expected to bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms over Palawan, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, Siquijor, BARMM, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Davao Occidental, and Davao Oriental. PAGASA warned residents in affected areas of possible flooding and landslides due to moderate to at times heavy rains. The weather bureau also warned of dangerous heat index levels across the country, with Aparri, Cagayan forecast to reach up to 45 degrees Celsius on Friday. Metro Manila may experience a heat index of 40°C to 41°C, under the “extreme caution” category. PAGASA advised the public to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., wear light-colored clothing, and drink plenty of water to prevent heat-related illnesses.
