Pagasa monitoring 2 possible cyclones

MANILA, Philippines - A tropical storm over the Pacific Ocean may enter the Philippine area of responsibility tonight, while a low-pressure area over Palawan may intensify into a cyclone as it moves away from the country.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday another low-pressure area was spotted off Surigao del Sur and would bring rains in the southern part of the country.

Once the two cyclones enter or develop inside the Philippine area of responsibility, they would be named
Ferdie and Gener, said the weather bureau. 

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the storm over the Pacific Ocean, with international name Meranti, was located at 1,580 kilometers east of Luzon and might enter the Philippine area of responsibility later today. 

It packs maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kilometers per hour, PAGASA said. 

The storm was forecast to move west-northwest at 20 kph toward Taiwan. 

Weather forecaster Samuel Duran said the cyclone, which is expected to intensify further, would not make landfall in the country based on its current forecast track. 

However, Duran said it might affect the extreme northern part of Luzon and intensify the southwest monsoon, bringing rainfall in the western part of the country. 

Two LPAs

PAGASA said the low-pressure area located yesterday near Palawan might intensify into a cyclone before or after it leaves the Philippine area of responsibility today. 

If it develops into a cyclone before exiting the country, it would be given a local name, it said. 

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the low-pressure area was located at 310 kilometers northwest of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. 

The low-pressure area weakened as it crossed southern Philippines on Friday, but is expected to intensify as it moved above waters in the western part of the country. 

The other low-pressure area was at 730 km east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. 

“Cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms will be experienced over Mindanao and Palawan,” said PAGASA. 

Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms will prevail over Metro Manila and the rest of the country, it added. 

In some parts of Mindanao, heavy rainfall warnings were raised yesterday because of the weather systems. 

Several isolated thunderstorms and rainshowers were experienced in the country yesterday. 

Light to moderate winds blowing from the southeast will prevail over northern and central Luzon and coming from the southwest to southeast over the rest of the country.

Coastal waters throughout the archipelago wold be slight to moderate, PAGASA said.