Dante intensifies but won’t affect Philippines

MANILA, Philippines - The low-pressure area off the Pacific Ocean intensified into a tropical depression yesterday but it is not expected to affect any part of the country in the next few days.

As of 4 p.m., the tropical depression was located 1,460 kilometers east of the Visayas, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

The weather disturbance was forecast to enter the Philippine area of responsibility last night or this morning and would be named Dante.

The disturbance packed maximum sustained winds of up to 55 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 65 kph. It was moving west-northwest at 18 kph, the weather bureau said.

PAGASA weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said despite the cyclone’s presence, the whole country would experience warm and humid weather in the next three to five days.

The depression is likely to curve north-northeast away from the country.

“Based on our latest forecast, it will recurve and will not make landfall,” Aurelio told The STAR, noting that a high-pressure area was preventing the cyclone from moving west toward the country.

Aurelio said the development of another cyclone off the Pacific Ocean could be attributed to warm sea surface temperature.

“The volume of water vapor is heavier in warm air,” he explained.