New storm won’t affect Philippine weather – Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines - The new storm that may enter the Philippine area of responsibility next week will have no effect on the country’s weather in the next few days, according to the state weather bureau.

Weather forecaster Jun Galang said the weather system with international name Soudelor was located 1,865 kilometers east of the Philippine area of responsibility as of yesterday afternoon.

It packs maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It is moving westward at the speed of 25 kph.

Galang said if it does not change its track, the storm may enter the country on Wednesday and will be named Hanna.

While it is not expected to make landfall, the weather forecaster said the storm may intensify the southwest monsoon.

Despite the storm’s distance, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) still warned residents in the Visayas and Mindanao to brace for possible rainfall due to the inter-tropical convergence zone.

It also raised similar forecast in Regions 4-B (Mimaropa) and 5 (Bicol).

“Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms will prevail over Metro Manila and the rest of the Luzon,” PAGASA said.

“Light to moderate winds blowing from the northeast to north will prevail over Luzon and coming from the southwest over the rest of the country. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate,” it added.

Yesterday, most parts of the country, including Metro Manila, experienced moderate to heavy rainfall in the afternoon due to thunderstorms.