‘Liwayway’ now a tropical storm

MANILA, Philippines — “Liwayway” (Lingling) developed into a tropical storm Monday morning and will continue to bring rain over parts of Luzon, state weather bureau PAGASA said. 

At 10 a.m., the center of “Liwayway” was spotted 340 kilometers east northeast of Daet, Camarines Norte or 455 km east of Baler, Aurora.

It packs maximum sustained winds of 65 km per hour from the previous 55 kph and gusts of up to 80 kph from the previous 70 kph.

The tropical storm is moving northwest at 25 kph.

No Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal has been raised yet but the trough or extension of “Liwayway” will bring scattered light to moderate rains with at times heavy rainshowers over Bicol region, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands and Batanes between Monday and Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, residents of Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan and Western Visayas will experience scattered light to moderate rains with at times heavy rainshowers due to the southwest monsoon enhanced by the tropical storm.

PAGASA warned that sea travel is now risky over the seaboards of Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Visayas.

It also said that TCWS may be hoisted between Monday and Tuesday if “Liwayway” inches closer to Extreme Northern Luzon.

The tropical storm is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility between Friday and Saturday.

Forecast position

• Tuesday morning: 265 km east of Calayan, Cagayan
• Wednesday morning: 295 km northeast of Basco, Batanes
• Thursday morning: 475 km north northeast of Basco, Batanes
• Friday morning: 740 km north northeast of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)
• Saturday morning: 1,110 km north northeast of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)

— Gaea Katreena Cabico