‘Nimfa’ seen to develop into tropical storm within 24 hours

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Depression Nimfa may intensify into a tropical storm within 24 hours while still inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, weather forecasters said in a bulletin issued late Thursday morning.

The slow-moving “Nimfa” was last spotted 715 kilometers east northeast of Basco Batanes. It is crawling west northwest over the northern portion of the Philippine Sea.

The tropical depression still has maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 70 kph.

“Nimfa” is not forecast to make landfall in the country and there are no areas under tropical cyclone wind signals.

But its trough or extension is bringing rains over Northern Luzon. The southwest monsoon is also stirring rains over Central Luzon.

Residents of Ilocos region, Cordillera Administrative Region, and the provinces of Cagayan, Zambales, Bataan and Occidental Mindoro will have frequent light to moderate with occasional heavy rains until Friday.

Meanwhile, occasional light to moderate rains with at times heavy rainshowers during thunderstorms will affect Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon.

PAGASA warned that sea travel remains risky over the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the western seaboard of Central Luzon due to potentially rough to very rough sea conditions.

“Nimfa” is expected to exit the PAR on Saturday. 

Forecast positions

• Friday morning: 620 km east northeast of Basco, Batanes
• Saturday morning: 745 km north northeast of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)
• Sunday morning: 1,365 km north northeast of Basco, Batanes (outside PAR)

— Gaea Katreena Cabico