Tropical depression to weaken as it enters Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — A tropical depression was forecast to enter the Philippine area of responsibility in the next 24 hours, but it was not expected to hit any part of the country.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the tropical depression was spotted 1,510 kilometers east-northeast of extreme Northern Luzon as of 2 p.m. yesterday. The weather system was packing winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph.

PAGASA said the weather disturbance was forecast to move west at 20 kph.

The next cyclone to enter the country will be named Gener.

The tropical depression was expected to weaken into a low-pressure area when it enters the Philippine area of responsibility, PAGASA weather specialist Ezra Bulquerin. said.

Bulquerin said the  inter-tropical convergence zone, the breeding ground for low-pressure areas, would bring rains in parts of the country in the next 24 hours.

Cloudy skies with scattered rains will prevail over the Visayas, Mindanao, Bicol region as well as in Aurora, Quezon, Mindoro, Marinduque and Romblon.

Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains due to thunderstorms.