MANILA, Philippines (Updated 11:44 a.m.) — PAGASA said Tropical Depression Josie is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm on Sunday afternoon or Monday as it warned of possible unrelenting monsoon rains on the day of President Rodrigo Duterte's third State of the Nation Address.
"Inaasahan po natin na makakaranas po tayo ng maulap na kalangitan na may kalatkalat na pag-ulan at pagkulog [the whole day]... Dala pa rin ito ng habagat natin," PAGASA weather forecaster Ezra Bulquerin said in an interview over DzMM early Sunday.
"Josie" is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Monday afternoon or evening, Bulquerin added.
In its 11 a.m. severe weather bulletin, PAGASA said "Josie" was spotted over the Bashi Channel.
At 10 a.m. today, the center of the tropical depression was estimated at 170 km northeast of Basco, Batanes.
Signal No. 1 is still hoisted over Batanes and the Babuyan Group of Islands while the tropical cyclone signal warning over northern Cagayan was lifted at 8 a.m. Sunday.
"Josie" has maintained strength packing maximum sustained winds of 60 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 75 kph.
It is moving north-northeast at 25 kph.
The state weather bureau said scattered to widespread monsoon rains are expected today over Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, rest of Cagayan Valley, Western Visayas, Cavite, Batangas, Rizal, Laguna, Mindoro Provinces and Northern Palawan including Calamian Group of Islands.
"Residents of these areas, especially those living near river channels, in low-lying and in mountainous areas are advised to take appropriate actions against possible flooding and landslide, coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management offices and continue monitoring for updates," PAGASA said.
It added that sea travel remains risky over the seaboards of northern Luzon and the western seaboard of central Luzon, especially in areas under Signal No. 1.