'Onyok' unlikely to make landfall, says PAGASA

MANILA, Philippines - A tropical depression off the West Philippine Sea was expected to enter the country's area of responsibility late last night and bring rains over most parts of Luzon this week, the state weather bureau said.

Graciano Yumul, supervising undersecretary of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said tropical depression "Onyok" is unlikely to make landfall in any part of the country.

He said the storm would enhance the southwest monsoon and bring rains over Northern and Central Luzon starting tomorrow until Wednesday.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Onyok was spotted at 1,340 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon.

It was moving west northwest at 20 kilometers per hour.

"It (storm) would enter PAR (Philippine area of responsibility) tonight (11 p.m.) and becomes TD Onyok. If there is no change (in its speed and direction), it will stay until Thursday," Yumul said.

He said Northern and Central Luzon would be affected by the enhanced southwest monsoon.

Yumul said another low pressure area would bring rains over the northwestern part of Luzon on Thursday.

"Based on PAGASA's latest model, it will also intensify into a tropical depression," he said.

In its 24-hour weather advisory, PAGASA said the intertropical convergence zone would prevail over the country, bringing mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms.

PAGASA warned residents of Northern and Central Luzon against possible flashfloods and landslides as these areas will experience cloudy skies with widespread rains in the next 24 hours.

The bureau said coastal waters throughout the archipelago would be slight to moderate.

Tropical storm "Nonoy" entered the country last Thursday morning but exited in the afternoon.

Three or four tropical cyclones are expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility this month.