Tropical storm 'Henry' enters RP

MANILA, Philippines - Tropical storm “Henry” entered the Philippine area of responsibility yesterday but the state weather bureau said it was not expected to directly affect the country.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Henry was spotted some 850 kilometers east- northeast of Basco, Batanes at 4 p.m. yesterday.

Henry packed winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

It was forecast to move west northwest at 15 kph.

"No public storm warning signals were raised. This weather disturbance is too far to affect any part of the country," Pagasa said in its severe weather bulletin issued at 11 a.m. yesterday.

"This tropical cyclone is expected to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring rains over Luzon and Visayas, particularly the western sections," it said.

Henry intensified from a tropical depression into a storm yesterday afternoon.

Mindanao, meanwhile, would have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms, Pagasa said.

It said moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest would prevail over Luzon and the Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas would be moderate to rough.

Elsewhere, winds would be light to moderate coming from the southeast to southwest with slight to moderate seas, it added.

Henry is the eighth tropical cyclone to enter the country this year and the first weather disturbance this month.

Pagasa said two to three cyclones are likely to enter the country in September.

The weather bureau said Henry slightly accelerated as it moved toward the southern islands of Japan before noon yesterday.

Henry is predicted to be some 850 km northeast of Basco or 110 km east of Okinawa, Japan Saturday morning.