Storm Kong-Rey to enter Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — The storm with international name Kong-Rey is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility in the next two days, but it would not have a direct impact on any part of the country, state weather forecasters said.

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, the eye of Kong-Rey was located at 1,615 kilometers east of Southern Luzon, packing winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 135 kph.

The storm was forecast to move northwest at 20 kph.

It is expected to enter the country today or tomorrow and will be locally named Queenie, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

PAGASA weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said the trough of Kong-Rey was bringing scattered rains over eastern Visayas.

He said good weather apart from isolated rains due to thunderstorms would prevail over Metro Manila and the rest of the country.

Kong-Rey is likely to develop into a typhoon while inside the Philippine area of responsibility, Aurelio said.

Kong-Rey was forecast to be closest to Basco, Batanes on Friday morning.

Aurelio said the storm would have the same track as Typhoon Paeng (Trami), which passed the northeastern section of Luzon last week.

Paeng exited the country on Saturday. It did not make landfall but caused very rough seas along the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon and eastern seaboard of Visayas for days.

Aurelio said Paeng was bearing down on Japan.